Webster's English Dictionary

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choke

1. choke \'cho-k\ vb [ME choken, alter. of achoken, fr. OE ace-ocian - more 
   a]t CHEEK 1: to check normal breathing of by compressing or obstructing the 
   windpipe  or by poisoning or adulterating available air 2: to check or 
   suppress expression of or by : SILENCE  3a: to check the growth, 
   development, or activity of  3b: to obstruct by filling up or clogging; 
   also : to fill complete ly : JAM 4: to enrich the fuel mixture of (a motor) 
   by partially shutting off the a ir intake of the carburetor 5: to grip (as 
   a baseball bat) some distance from the end of the handle  1: to become 
   choked in breathing  2: to become obstructed or checked  3: to shorten 
   one's grip esp. on the handle of a bat 
2. choke n 1: the act of choking : SUFFOCATION  2: something that chokes : 
   as  2a: a valve for choking a gasoline engine  2b: a narrowing toward the 
   muzzle in the bore of a gun