Username
watkinson.andy
Member Since
October 20, 2010
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Bio
Unpacking English, Bit by Bit
A community for questioning, nitpicking, and debating the quirks and rules of the English language.
Stymie and stifle
"stifle late 14c., "to choke, suffocate, drown," of
uncertain origin, possibly an alteration of O.Fr.
estouffer "to stifle, smother," which may be from
a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. stopfon "to plug up,
stuff"). Metaphoric sense is from 1570s."
As Chris says, "stymie" has a different root to the above.
Andy.