Choke
/tʃoʊk/noun
To obstruct or impede breathing by blocking the airway.
Did you know?The word 'choke' is linked to the Old English term for 'throat', hinting at deep, primal fears of suffocation and control over life itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷʰe-
“to breathe, blow, or swell.”
Old English
Old English
cācan
“to choke, suffocate, or cause to cough.”
Middle English
Middle English
choken
“to suffocate or obstruct the breath.”
15th Century
Middle English
choke
“to obstruct the throat or windpipe.”
Modern English
English
choke
“to hinder or stop breathing.”
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