[choke] vb choked ; chok.ing [ME, alter. of achoken, fr. OE aceocian, fr. a-, perfective prefix + ceoce, ceace jaw, cheek--more at abide, cheek] vt (14c) 1: to check normal breathing of by compressing or obstructing the trachea or by poisoning or adulterating available air
2. a: to check the growth, development, or activity of "the flowers were choked by the weeds" b: to obstruct by filling up or clogging "leaves choked the drain" c: to fill completely: jam "roads choked with traffic"
3: to enrich the fuel mixture of (a motor) by partially shutting off the air intake of the carburetor
4: to grip (as a baseball bat) some distance from the end of the handle ~ vi 1: to become choked in breathing
2. a: to become obstructed or checked b: to become or feel constricted in the throat (as from strong emotion)--usu. used with up "choked up and couldn't finish the speech"
3: to shorten one's grip esp. on the handle of a bat--usu. used with up
4: to lose one's composure and fail to perform effectively in a critical situation
[2]choke n (1736) 1: the filamentous inedible center of an artichoke head; broadly: an artichoke head
2: something that obstructs passage or flow: as a: a valve for choking a gasoline engine b: a constriction in an outlet (as of an oil well) that restricts flow c: reactor
2. d: a constriction (as a narrowing of the barrel or an attachment) at the muzzle of a shotgun that serves to limit the spread of shot
3: the act of choking