---
title: stifled — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «stifled» in the school dictionary: Held back so it is not heard or seen: a stifled laugh, a stifled yawn, a stifled cry. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# stifled

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** air, She, I, He, speech, We · **What happens:** hold back, not hear, see, stifle, breathe, be · **To what, where:** it, stifled ideas, stifled giggle, stifled cry, cupboard, yawn

<!-- .vabout -->
«stifled» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [stifled in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/stifled.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Held back so it is not heard or seen: a stifled laugh, a stifled yawn, a stifled cry.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:m1:1
# text = Held back so it is not heard or seen: a stifled laugh, a stifled yawn, a stifled cry.
1	Held	hold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	advcl	_	_
2	back	back	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	so	so	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	heard	hear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	seen	see	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	laugh	laugh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	amod	_	_
17	yawn	yawn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	21	amod	_	_
21	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold back** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **hear** | present · passive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: subject=Stimulus |
| 3 | **see** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |
| 5 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |
| 6 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Unable to breathe well because the air is hot or stuffy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:m2:1
# text = Unable to breathe well because the air is hot or stuffy.
1	Unable	unable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	breathe	breathe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	3	advmod	_	_
5	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	advcl	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	stuffy	stuffy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **breathe** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | well *property* | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | the air |  |  |  |  | hot *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | the air *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stopped from growing or being free: stifled ideas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:m3:1
# text = Stopped from growing or being free: stifled ideas.
1	Stopped	stop	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
3	growing	grow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
5	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	cop	_	_
6	free	free	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | participle |  | stifled ideas |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **grow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | free *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She gave a stifled giggle during the assembly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:x1:1
# text = She gave a stifled giggle during the assembly.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	giggle	giggle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	during	during	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	assembly	assembly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | She | a stifled giggle |  |  | during the assembly |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent giggle=Theme |
| 2 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I heard a stifled cry from the cupboard.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:x2:1
# text = I heard a stifled cry from the cupboard.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	heard	hear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	cry	cry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cupboard	cupboard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | past | I | a stifled cry |  | the cupboard |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent cry=Topic from cupboard=Source |
| 2 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He stifled a yawn as the speech went on.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:x3:1
# text = He stifled a yawn as the speech went on.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	yawn	yawn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
9	on	on	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stifle** | past | He | a yawn |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent yawn=Patient |
| 2 | **go on** | past | the speech |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We felt stifled in the hot, crowded bus.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:x4:1
# text = We felt stifled in the hot, crowded bus.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	crowded	crowded	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | We |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **stifle** | participle | We *not said here* |  |  | the hot crowded bus |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A stifled sob came from the next room.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:x5:1
# text = A stifled sob came from the next room.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	sob	sob	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	next	next	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **come** | past | a stifled sob |  |  | the next room |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from room=Initial\_Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Too many rules stifled their ideas.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:x6:1
# text = Too many rules stifled their ideas.
1	Too	too	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stifle** | past | many rules | rules's ideas |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent idea=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
At intervals, a half-stifled sigh was heard from its inmost soul; it was the soul of Helga.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:stifled:x7:1
# text = At intervals, a half-stifled sigh was heard from its inmost soul; it was the soul of Helga.
1	At	at	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	intervals	interval	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	stifled	stifle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	sigh	sigh	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	heard	hear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
13	inmost	inmost	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	soul	soul	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
17	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	soul	soul	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	Helga	Helga	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stifle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn suffocate-40.7 «NP.theme V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **hear** | past · passive |  | a stifled sigh |  | intervals |  | from sigh's inmost soul | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: subject=Topic from soul=Source |
| 3 | **is a** | past | sigh | the soul |  |  |  | of Helga | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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