choke

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To be unable to breathe because something is blocking your throat.

   Ever since he choked on a fish bone, he eats fish carefully.

2. 2
   verb

   To stop someone breathing by pressing on or blocking their throat.

   The tight collar was almost choking him.

3. 3
   verb

   To find it hard to breathe or speak because of strong emotion.

   She choked up as she spoke about her late friend.

4. 4
   verb

   To fail to perform well at a key moment because of nervousness.

   The team should have won easily but choked in the final.

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.

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