I. ˈstīv verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English stiven, probably from Spanish estibar or Portuguese estivar to pack tightly — more at steeve
transitive verb
1. : to pack tightly : crowd
2. : to shut up in a warm close place : stifle , suffocate
intransitive verb
: suffocate
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: obsolete Dutch stuive, from Middle Dutch stuve, stuyve pulverization; akin to Middle Dutch stuven, stieven to raise dust, Middle Low German stūven to raise dust, stübbe dust, Old High German stoub dust, stioban to raise dust, stuppi dust, Gothic stubjus
: dust ; especially : the floating dust in flour mills caused by grinding
III.
chiefly Scotland
variant of steeve I