n. [ It. articiocco, perh. corrupted fr. the same word as carciofo; cf. older spellings archiciocco, archicioffo, carciocco, and Sp. alcachofa, Pg. alcachofra; prob. fr. Ar. al-harshaf, al-kharshūf. ] (Bot.) 1. The Cynara scolymus, a plant somewhat resembling a thistle, with a dilated, imbricated, and prickly involucre. The head (to which the name is also applied) is composed of numerous oval scales, inclosing the florets, sitting on a broad receptacle, which, with the fleshy base of the scales, is much esteemed as an article of food. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. See Jerusalem artichoke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To have the windpipe stopped; to have a spasm of the throat, caused by stoppage or irritation of the windpipe; to be strangled. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be checked, as if by choking; to stick. [ 1913 Webster ]

The words choked in his throat. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Choked p. pr. & vb. n. Choking. ] [ OE. cheken, choken; cf. AS. āceocian to suffocate, Icel. koka to gulp, E. chincough, cough. ] 1. To render unable to breathe by filling, pressing upon, or squeezing the windpipe; to stifle; to suffocate; to strangle. [ 1913 Webster ]

With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To obstruct by filling up or clogging any passage; to block up. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To hinder or check, as growth, expansion, progress, etc.; to stifle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Oats and darnel choke the rising corn. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To affect with a sense of strangulation by passion or strong feeling. “I was choked at this word.” Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To make a choke, as in a cartridge, or in the bore of the barrel of a shotgun. [ 1913 Webster ]

To choke off, to stop a person in the execution of a purpose; as, to choke off a speaker by uproar. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A stoppage or irritation of the windpipe, producing the feeling of strangulation. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gun.) (a) The tied end of a cartridge. (b) A constriction in the bore of a shotgun, case of a rocket, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The small apple-shaped or pear-shaped fruit of an American shrub (Pyrus arbutifolia) growing in damp thickets; also, the shrub. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. In a shotgun, a bore which is tapered to a slightly smaller diameter at a short distance (usually 21/2 to 3 inches) to the rear of the muzzle, in order to prevent the rapid dispersion of the shot. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A shotgun that is made with such a bore. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Chokebored p. pr. & vb. n. Chokeboring. ] To provide with a chokebore. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Bot.) The astringent fruit of a species of wild cherry (Prunus Virginiana); also, the bush or tree which bears such fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

See Carbonic acid, under Carbonic. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Hindi chaukī-dār. ] A watchman; an officer of customs or police. [ India ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Full to the brim; quite full; chock-full. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A kind of pear that has a rough, astringent taste, and is swallowed with difficulty, or which contracts the mucous membrane of the mouth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A sarcasm by which one is put to silence; anything that can not be answered. [ Low ] S. Richardson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, chokes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A stiff wide cravat; a stock. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Saddlery) A strap leading from the bellyband to the lower part of the collar, to keep the collar in place. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. 1. Tending to choke or suffocate, or having power to suffocate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Inclined to choke, as a person affected with strong emotion. “A deep and choky voice.” Aytoun. [ 1913 Webster ]

The allusion to his mother made Tom feel rather chokey. T. Hughes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) An American sole (Achirus lineatus syn. Achirus achirus), related to the European sole, but of no market value. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Hockday. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. hōcor. ] Scorn; derision; abusive talk. [ Obs. ] -- Ho"ker*ly, adv. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster]