choke

Pronunciation

• enPR: chōk IPA ^(key): /ʧəʊk/
• SAMPA: /tS@Uk/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form choke

Third-person singular chokes

Past tense choked

Past participle choked

Present participle choking

This person is helping the man who is choking

1. (intransitive) Not being able to breathe because something stops your windpipe.
2. (transitive) Trying to make someone stop breathing by squeezing their throat.
3. (intransitive) To perform badly at an important part of a contest because you are fearful, especially when you are winning.
4. (transitive) A part of a cave to be partly or completely blocked by rocks, mud, or other things.
5. To move your fingers very close to the tip of a pencil, brush or other art tool.

Noun

Singular choke

Plural chokes

A choke hold

Another choke hold

1. A control on a carburetor to change the air or fuel mixture when the engine is cold.
2. (sports) In wrestling, karate, or other sports, grabbing someone in a way that can make them stop breathing.
3. A pressure at the muzzle part of a shotgun barrel which changes the spread of the shot.
4. A slight or complete block (of rocks, mud, or other things) in a cave passage.