choke
B2Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To prevent someone or something from breathing by blocking or constricting the airway; to have difficulty breathing.
To obstruct or block a passage; to fail or perform poorly under pressure; to have one's progress or development hindered; to enrich the fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can refer to literal physical obstruction of breathing, metaphorical failure under pressure, or mechanical processes. The sense of 'failure under pressure' is particularly common in sports.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In automotive contexts, 'choke' is more common in UK English for the manual control; in US English, 'choke' is still used but automatic chokes are now standard. The sports metaphor is equally common. In US English, 'choke' can more readily mean 'to fail completely' (e.g., 'the project choked').
Connotations
The word 'choke' carries a strong negative connotation, implying a sudden, often humiliating, failure or inability to function. The literal meaning of death by asphyxiation underlies the intensity of the metaphorical use.
Frequency
The metaphorical use (to fail under pressure) is very high-frequency in both varieties, especially in sports journalism and informal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[SUBJ] choke [on OBJ] (He choked on a peanut).[SUBJ] choke [OBJ] (The smoke choked him).[SUBJ] choke [OBJ] [to death] (The villain choked the hero to death).[SUBJ] choke [under OBJ] (The team choked under pressure).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “choke the chicken (vulgar slang)”
- “choke down (to eat with difficulty)”
- “choke off (to stop or suppress)”
- “choke up (to become too emotional to speak)”
- “choke on your own words”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The new regulations threaten to choke off innovation in the sector."
Academic
"The sediment began to choke the river's estuary, altering the ecosystem."
Everyday
"Be careful, don't choke on your drink!"
Technical
"The pilot had to adjust the mixture control to prevent the engine from choking at high altitude."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He nearly choked on a fish bone.
- The midfielder choked and missed the penalty.
- You need to pull the choke out on a cold morning.
American English
- She started to choke on a piece of candy.
- Our team totally choked in the final minutes.
- Older cars have a manual choke near the steering wheel.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The choke valve was stuck open.
- He applied a choke hold during the struggle.
American English
- The choke cable needs replacing.
- A choke point formed in the tunnel after the accident.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The baby choked on a small toy.
- I choked when I drank the water too fast.
- She choked back her anger and spoke calmly.
- A piece of food got stuck, and he began to choke.
- The government's policies are choking economic growth.
- He had a golden opportunity but choked at the crucial moment.
- The vines had choked the life out of the ancient oak tree.
- She felt herself choking up as she delivered the eulogy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a joke (sounds like 'choke') so funny you choke on your drink laughing.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION/SUCCESS IS BREATHING. Suppressing emotion is choking back tears. Failure is choking under pressure. Obstruction is choking progress.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'задушить' (to strangle/smother) for all contexts. 'Choke' often implies an internal blockage (e.g., on food). 'Заchokнуться' is a close equivalent for 'choke on something'. The sports metaphor ('дать маху', 'сломаться') is a good fit for 'choke under pressure'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *'She choked from the dust.' Correct: 'She choked on the dust.'
- Incorrect: *'He choked and couldn't win.' Correct: 'He choked under pressure and lost.'
- Confusing 'choke up' (emotional) with 'choke' (fail).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'choke up' typically mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Choke' often implies blockage inside the throat (e.g., by food). 'Strangle' involves external pressure on the neck. 'Suffocate' means deprivation of air, often by a surrounding substance (e.g., smoke, water).
Almost always. Even in the automotive sense, a 'choked' engine is not running properly. The idiom 'choke up' (emotional) can be positive but still describes a loss of control.
Yes. Intransitive: 'He choked on a peanut.' Transitive: 'The thick smoke choked the firefighters.'
Extremely common in informal English worldwide, especially in commentary on individual performance (e.g., golf, tennis, penalty kicks).