What does choke mean?
To choke is to suffer an obstruction of the airway — most often when food or a foreign object lodges in the windpipe, cutting off normal breathing. The word extends naturally to anything that blocks or clogs: silt can choke a river, weeds can choke a garden, and thick smoke can choke a room. Figuratively, people also choke back tears, choke down unpleasant feelings, or — in a widely used informal sense, especially in sports — choke by failing at a crucial moment despite being fully capable beforehand. As a noun, a 'choke' is a device on engines, particularly older cars, that restricts airflow to help start the engine in cold conditions. The word carries visceral, urgent connotations of suffocation and blockage, which makes its figurative uses vivid and forceful. Its long history links it to Old English terms for the jaw and throat, tying the modern word directly to the part of the body where choking occurs.
To have the airway obstructed so as to make breathing difficult or impossible; to block, suffocate, or clog something; to suppress an emotion or reaction; informally, to fail under pressure.
"A fishbone lodged in his throat and he began to choke."
Commonly used with particles: 'choke on' (the cause), 'choke back/down' (suppressing), 'choke up' (becoming emotional or clogging).
A valve or control in an engine that reduces the air supply to enrich the fuel mixture, used mainly when starting a cold engine.
"On cold mornings he pulled out the choke before turning the ignition."
The plural applies chiefly to the engine-control sense; the verb does not take a plural.
"Older motorcycles came equipped with manual chokes operated by hand."
English 'choke' and 'cheek' are ancient relatives — both trace back to Old English words for parts of the jaw and throat, which is exactly where choking happens.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of choke
The verb 'choke' comes from Middle English 'choken', a shortened form of 'acheken', derived from Old English 'āceocian'. The underlying root relates to Old English words for the jaw and throat area, making it etymologically connected to 'cheek'. The word has carried the sense of obstructing breathing since its earliest recorded use in English, with figurative senses such as emotional suppression and blocking passages developing later through natural extension.
Related word forms
How choke is actually used
'Choke' is common in everyday speech and carries strong physical connotations of obstruction or distress. In informal usage, especially in sports commentary, 'to choke' means to fail under pressure, and this figurative sense is now very widespread. The phrasal forms 'choke back', 'choke up', and 'choke down' are well established and shift the meaning toward emotional suppression rather than literal breathing difficulty.