choke
choke Lexical Profile
choke Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To have severe difficulty breathing because of a constricted or obstructed throat or a lack of air, or to cause someone to experience this.
"The toddler began to choke on a piece of apple until his father dislodged it."
To fill a space, passage, or channel so completely as to obstruct movement or prevent normal function.
"Fallen autumn leaves regularly choke the narrow drainage ditches along the road."
To become or make someone unable to speak clearly because of strong emotion.
"Grief seemed to choke her words as she tried to deliver the eulogy."
To fail to perform effectively at a decisive moment in a competition or high-pressure situation due to nervousness (informal).
"The leading golfer had a comfortable three-stroke advantage on the final hole, but he began to choke under the intense scrutiny."
• noun
An act or sound of struggling to breathe because of a blocked windpipe or strong emotion.
"She gave a quiet choke of surprise when she read the unexpected news."
A mechanical valve in the carburetor of an internal combustion engine that restricts the intake of air to enrich the fuel mixture, especially when starting the engine cold.
"On freezing mornings, you had to pull out the manual choke to get the old tractor to start."
The mass of silky, inedible fibers at the center of an artichoke above the edible heart.
"Use a spoon to carefully scrape out the fuzzy choke before serving the steamed artichoke."
• Rhymes for choke
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English 'acocian' (to suffocate or strangle), which is closely related to 'ceace' (cheek or jaw), suggesting an original connection to food becoming lodged in the throat.