strangles
strangles Lexical Profile
strangles Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To squeeze or constrict the neck of (a person or animal), especially so as to cause death by obstructing breathing.
"A constrictor snake wraps around its prey and strangles it before swallowing it whole."
To suppress, stifle, or hinder the growth, development, or activity of something.
"Invasive bindweed quickly spreads across the garden and strangles native wildflowers."
• noun
A contagious bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract in horses and other equids, caused by Streptococcus equi and characterized by fever, nasal discharge, and abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck.
"The veterinary clinic quarantined the new foals after one tested positive for strangles."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the equine bacterial disease, 'strangles' is a plural-form noun that typically takes a singular verb (e.g., 'Strangles is highly contagious among horses').
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Middle English stranglen, from Old French estrangler, from Latin strangulare ('to choke, suffocate'), and ultimately from Ancient Greek strangalaō ('to strangle'). The equine disease was named for the severe swelling of the lymph nodes that can constrict the animal's airway.