gušiti

1. (gušiti se) to choke; to suffocate
   Gušio se od kašlja celu noć. — He was coughing and struggling to breathe all night.
   U ovoj gužvi se gušimo, otvori prozor. — We're suffocating in this crowd, open the window.
2. (of smoke, heat, a situation) to stifle; to smother; to feel suffocating
   Guši me ova vrućina. — This heat is suffocating me.
   Osećala je da je taj odnos guši. — She felt that the relationship was smothering her.
3. to strangle; to choke
   Napadač ju je gušio dok nije izgubila svest. — The attacker was strangling her until she lost consciousness.
4. (of freedom, protest, initiative) to stifle; to suppress
   Vlast guši svaku kritiku u medijima. — The government stifles all criticism in the media.

The cause is usually expressed with od + genitive: gušiti se od dima.