ugušiti

1. (ugušiti se) to suffocate; to choke
   Skoro sam se ugušio košticom trešnje. — I nearly choked on a cherry pit.
   Dvoje ljudi se ugušilo dimom u požaru. — Two people suffocated from the smoke in the fire.
2. (+ acc.) to suffocate; to smother; to strangle
   Ubica je žrtvu ugušio jastukom. — The killer smothered the victim with a pillow.
3. (of a revolt, protest) to suppress; to crush
   Vojska je brzo ugušila pobunu. — The army quickly crushed the revolt.
4. (of feelings, laughter) to stifle; to smother
   Jedva je ugušila smeh na sastanku. — She barely stifled a laugh in the meeting.
   Previše pravila može da uguši kreativnost. — Too many rules can stifle creativity.

With «se» it means to choke or suffocate (+ instr. or «od»: ugušiti se dimom, od dima); without «se» it means to suffocate or smother someone (+ acc.).