choke

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to breathe with great difficulty, as when experiencing a strong emotion

   I choked with emotion when I spoke about my deceased friend.

2. 2
   verb

   to cause to retch or choke

   The smoke in the room choked me.

3. 3
   verb

   to reduce the air supply

   choke a carburetor

4. 4
   verb

   to wring the neck of

   I choked opponent out in my last match.

5. 5
   verb

   to check or slow down the action or effect of

   They choked their anger.

6. 6
   verb

   to fail to perform adequately due to tension or agitation

   The team should have won hands down but choked, disappointing the coach and the audience.

7. 7
   verb

   To be unable to breathe because of obstruction of the windpipe (for instance food or other objects that go down the wrong way, or fumes or particles in the air that cause the throat to constrict).

   Ever since he choked on a bone, he has refused to eat fish.

8. 8
   verb

   To prevent (someone) from breathing or talking by strangling or filling the windpipe.

   The collar of this shirt is too tight; it’s choking me.

Etymology

From Middle English choken (also cheken), from earlier acheken, from Old English āċēocian (“to choke”), probably derived from Old English ċēoce, ċēace (“jaw, cheek”), see cheek. Cognate with Icelandic kok (“throat”), koka (“to gulp”). See also achoke.