Lexical Definition

‎πνίγω‎ pnígō (pnee'-go) to choke ^G:V
strengthened from ‎πνέω‎

choke, take by the throat.

• to wheeze, i.e. (causative, by implication) to throttle or strangle (drown)

Abbott-Smith

πνίγω, [in LXX: I Ki 16:14, 15 (בּעת pi.)*;]
to choke: c. acc., Mt 13:7 (WH, mg.); impf. (conative), Mt 18:28; of drowning, pass., Mk 5:13 (cf. ἀπο-, ἐπι-, συν-πνίγω).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

πνίγω-ω [ῑ],

[Refs 5th c.BC+]: imperfect ἔπνῑγον [Refs 5th c.BC+]future πνίξω (ἀπο-) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Doric dialect 2nd pers. plural future πνιξεῖσθε [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist ἔπνιξα, imperative πνῖξον, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, future πνῐγήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist ἐπνίχθην (ἀπ-) [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; but ἐπνίγωην [ῐ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]perfect πέπνιγμαι, see #11.—The simple verb is less frequently than the compound ἀποπνίγωω:— choke, throttle, strangle, Sophr.[same place], etc.; of a doctor, πνίγωων.. πικρότατα πόματα διδούς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἂν ὕλη πνίγωῃ [τὸν σῖτον] [πνίγωῃ, τί δεῖ ἐπιπίνει; 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Ethica Nicomachea” 1146a35 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be choked, stifled, ἐπνιγόμην τὰ σπλάγχνα [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__2 impersonal πνίγωει, of great heat, it is stifling, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__3 metaphorically, vex, torment, ἕνα χαλκοῦν ἀποβαλὼν αὑτὸν π. [Refs 1st c.BC+]; ὃ δὲ μάλιστά με πνίγωει variant in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; oppress by exactions, 'squeeze', [Refs 4th c.AD+]
__II cook in a close-covered vessel, bake, stew, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III drown [Refs], in passive, [πνίγωεται 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus 2.9b. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]