choke1
v.
- prevent from breathing by constricting or obstructing the throat or depriving of air.
▸have difficulty in breathing because of an obstructed throat or lack of air.
- fill (a space) so as to make movement difficult or impossible.
- make (someone) speechless with strong emotion.
- enrich the fuel mixture in (a petrol engine) by reducing the intake of air.
n.
- a valve in the carburettor of a petrol engine used to reduce the amount of air in the fuel mixture.
- a narrowed part of a shotgun bore serving to restrict the spread of the shot.
- an inductance coil used to smooth the variations of an alternating current or to alter its phase.
Etymology
ME: from OE ācēocian (v.), from cēoce (see cheek).
choke2
n.
the inedible mass of silky fibres at the centre of a globe artichoke.
Etymology
C17: prob. a confusion of the ending of artichoke with choke1.