smothering

verb

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present)present participle and gerund of smother

noun

1. The act by which someone or something is smothered.

   “I do hope there will be no oniony and tobaccoey smotherings in the form of embracings all round, going on in the streets.”

   “When he came to, he begged me not to tell the hotel management, as his last two attempted smotherings had ended in failure and he was worried about losing his job.”