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Phrase Meanings » choke up
What does "choke up" mean?
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Block a channel or other passage, as in Vegetation choked up the creek like a dam. [Late 1600s]
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Be too emotional or upset to speak, as in She became so emotional about winning that she choked up and was unable to give an interview.
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Become too nervous or tense in a critical situation to perform, as in He's fine during practice but in a match he tends to choke up. This usage, also put as to choke alone, is especially common in sports. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]
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