choking

5 definitions • 5 examples

present participle of

If you choke, or if something chokes you, you stop breathing because something is blocking your throat:

choke to death She choked to death on a fish bone.

choke on Children can choke on peanuts.

Peanuts can choke a small child.

to make someone stop breathing by pressing their throat with the hands

to fill something such as a road or pipe, so that nothing can pass through:

At lunchtime the streets were choked with traffic.

(usually in sports) to fail to do something at a time when it is urgent, usually because you suddenly lose confidence:

He could score points at will during the qualifying matches, but in the final he completely choked.