choke

/tʃoʊk/
verb
  1. To have difficulty breathing because something is blocking your throat or because of strong emotion.
    • He started to choke on a piece of meat and needed help.
    • She choked with tears when she heard the sad news.
    • The smoke was so thick that it made everyone choke.
  2. To block or clog something so that air or liquid cannot pass through easily.
    • Leaves choked the gutter, causing water to overflow.
    • Weeds had choked the garden, killing the flowers.
    • Dust choked the air filter, so the engine wouldn't start.
  3. To fail to perform well in a high-pressure situation, especially in sports or tests.
    • He tends to choke when he has to speak in front of a large audience.
    • The star player choked and missed the easy goal in the final seconds.
    • She studied hard but choked during the exam and forgot everything.
Antonyms
noun
  1. A device that controls the flow of air into an engine, used to help start a cold engine.
    • He pulled out the choke to start the old lawnmower.
    • The car's choke was stuck, so the engine flooded.
    • You need to push the choke back in once the engine warms up.
  2. An act or sound of choking.
    • A sudden choke escaped her throat as she tried to speak.
    • The baby's choke scared the parents, but she was fine.
    • He gave a little choke when the dust hit his lungs.
What does "choke" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean