v. & n.
v. 1 tr. suffocate; stifle; kill by stopping the breath of or excluding air from. 2 tr. (foll. by with) overwhelm with (kisses, gifts, kindness, etc.) (smothered with affection). 3 tr. (foll. by in, with) cover entirely in or with (chicken smothered in mayonnaise). 4 tr. extinguish or deaden (a fire or flame) by covering it or heaping it with ashes etc. 5 intr. a die of suffocation. b have difficulty breathing. 6 tr. (often foll. by up) suppress or conceal; keep from notice or publicity. 7 tr. US defeat rapidly or utterly.
n. 1 a cloud of dust or smoke. 2 obscurity caused by this. smothered mate Chess checkmate in which the king, having no vacant square to move to, is checkmated by a knight.
[ ME smorther f. the stem of OE smorian suffocate ]