choke
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violent or very sad feelings) as if by holding them in the
throat: to choke back one's anger/one's tears
choke sbdy. ⇔ off phr v [T] infml to stop, get rid of, or
prevent: They'd ruthlessly choked off all opposition to their
plans.
choke² n 1 the act or sound of choking 2 an apparatus that
controls the amount of air going into a car engine, espe-
cially to help a cold engine start: Pull the choke out. (=the
control button that works it) → see picture at CAR
'choke chain n [C] a chain that is fastened around the neck
of a dog to control it
choke·cher·ry /'tʃəʊkˌtʃeri/ n pl. chokecherries AmE a kind
of sour CHERRY: chokecherry jam
choked /tʃəʊkt/ also ,choked 'up BrE — adj [F] slang angry
or upset: I was really choked to hear he'd died. | She seemed
choked up about it.
chok·er /'tʃəʊkər/ n a NECKLACE or narrow band of decora-
tive material worn very tightly round a woman's neck
chok·y, chokey /'tʃəʊki/ n [(the) U] BrE old-fash slang prison
chol·er /'kɒlər||'kɑːr-/ n [U] lit anger; bad temper —-ic adj
—-ically /klɪ/ adv
chol·e·ra /'kɒlərə||'kɑːr-/ n [U] an infectious disease caused by
bacteria, which attacks especially the stomach and bowels
causing severe DIARRHOEA, sickness etc, and often leads to
death
cho·les·te·rol /kə'lestərɒl||-rɔl/ n [U] a substance found in
all cells of the body, which helps to carry fats, and too much
of which has been said to be bad for the arteries (ARTERY). In
Britain and the US, people are now advised to reduce the
amount of cholesterol that they eat, for example by eating
fewer eggs and less RED MEAT: cholesterol-free foods (=which
contain no cholesterol) → see Cultural Note at HEALTHY
chomp /tʃɒmp||tʃɑːmp, tʃɔːmp/ v [I;T] to CHAMP
Chom·sky, No·am /'tʃɒmski||'tʃɑːm-, 'nəʊəm||nəʊm/ (1928–)
a US LINGUIST whose many new ideas about language have
had a great influence on the study of language. One of his
important ideas is that everyone has knowledge about
grammar when they are born, which they can then use to
learn any language. He has also written books about politics,
and has often criticized the way the US uses its power.
choose /tʃuːz/ v chose /tʃəʊz/, chosen /'tʃəʊzən/ 1 [I(be-
tween, from);T] to pick out freely, and after consideration, from
a number of things, possibilities etc: It was such a big menu I
didn't know what to choose. | Have you chosen (a hat) yet? | He
chose his words carefully, hoping to avoid a quarrel. | She's
been chosen as the new club president. | Anyone choosing
politics as a career must face intense competition. | We had to
choose between leaving early and paying for a taxi. | There's
little/nothing to choose between them. (=they are both
alike/equally good) | There are ten to choose from. |
[+obj(i)+obj(d)] She chose him a book. | [+obj+for] She chose a book
for him. | [+obj+to-v] They chose him to represent them. | [+wh-]
I'll let you choose where we should go to eat. 2 [I;T+to-v/that;obj]
to decide: Do as you choose. (=as you want) | They chose to
ignore her warning. | He chose not to go home until later. | I
chose that we should stay. → see also CHOICE
choos·y, choosey /'tʃuːzi/ also picky AmE — adj (too)
careful in choosing; hard to please: Jean's very choosy about
what she eats.
chop¹ /tʃɒp||tʃɑːp/ v -pp- 1 [T] to cut by repeatedly hitting
with a heavy sharp-ended tool, such as an AXE: They're
chopping wood in the forest. | I chopped a branch off the
tree. 2 [(AWAY, at)] to make a quick stroke or repeated strokes
with a sharp-ended tool: I've been chopping away (at this
tree) for half an hour but it's still standing. 3 [T] to make or
produce by doing this: Will you chop the firewood, please? |
We had to chop a path through the forest. 4 [T] to cut into
small pieces: Chop the onions then fry them in the oil. 5 [T] to
hit (a ball) with a quick downward stroke 6 [T often pass.] infml
to bring to an end or reduce: The government has chopped
funding for the arts. | The budget has been chopped by half.
chop sthg. ⇔ down phr v [T] to cause (especially a tree) to
fall by chopping: to chop down an oak tree
chop sthg. ⇔ up phr v [T] to cut into small pieces: Those
chunks of meat are rather large - could you chop them up a bit
smaller?
chop² n 1 a small piece of meat, especially lamb or PORK,
usually containing a bone: We're having lamb chops for
dinner. 2 a quick short cutting blow with an AXE or similar
weapon 3 a short sharp blow, as in BOXING, KARATE etc 4 get
the chop BrE slang a) to be dismissed from work b) to be
stopped suddenly by official action: Our building plan got
the chop; it was too expensive. → see also CHOPS
chop³ v -pp- [(ABOUT)] 1 (especially of the wind) to change
direction: (fig.) One minute you want to go, the next you don't -
I wish you'd stop chopping about. 2 chop and change BrE to
keep changing (your opinions, plans, activities etc): I wish
you wouldn't chop and change (your plans) like this; make up
your mind! 3 chop logic to use arguments which seem
reasonable but which are in fact false
,chop-'chop adv, interj BrE infml quickly; without delay: Chop
chop! We'll miss the bus at this rate.
chop·house /'tʃɒphaʊs||'tʃɑːp-/ n pl. -houses /haʊzɪz/
especially old use a restaurant specializing in STEAK and CHOPS
Cho-pin, Fréd-é·ric /'ʃəʊpæn, 'fredərɪk/ (1810–49) a Polish
COMPOSER, one of the best-known and most admired com-
posers of piano music. He is also known for his love affair
with the French female writer George SAND.
chop·per /'tʃɒpər||'tʃɑːr-/ n 1 a heavy sharp-ended tool for
cutting wood or meat → see picture at AXE 2 slang for
HELICOPTER 3 slang a motorcycle with very long front FORKS
(=supports for the front wheel)
chop·pers /'tʃɒpəz||'tʃɑːpərz/ n [P] slang for teeth
'chopping board also 'chopping block n a thick flat
piece of wood or plastic on which food is placed while it is
cut into small pieces
chop·py /'tʃɒpi||'tʃɑːpi/ adj (of water) with many short
rough irregular waves —-piness n [U]
chops /tʃɒps||tʃɑːps/ n [P] the fleshy covering of an animal's
jaw: (fig., derag) He licked his chops as he thought of all the
money he'd make on the deal. (=looked forward eagerly to his
profit)
chop·stick /'tʃɒp-stɪk||'tʃɑːp-/ n [usually pl.] either of a pair
of narrow sticks held between the thumb and fingers and
used in E Asian countries for lifting food to the mouth
Chop-sticks /'tʃɒpstɪks||'tʃɑːp-/ a simple tune that people
often play on the PIANO, especially when they are learning to
play the piano or are bored
chop su·ey /ˌtʃɒp 'suːi||ˌtʃɑːp-/ n [U] a Chinese dish made
of small pieces of vegetables and meat or chicken served
with rice → compare CHOW MEIN
cho·ral /'kɔːrəl/ adj of or sung by a CHOIR or CHORUS:
choral group | choral music
cho·rale /kə'rɑːl||kə'ræl, -'rɑːl/ n a HYMN (=a song of praise)
to be sung in a church: a Bach chorale
'choral so,ciety n a group of people who sing together and
are not connected with a church
chord¹ /kɔːd||kɔːrd/ n a combination of two or more musical
notes sounded at the same time: the opening chords of the
sonata → see also strike a chord (STRIKE)
chord² n a straight line joining two points on a curve: a
chord of a circle
chore /tʃɔːr/ n 1 a regular and necessary piece of work or
job, especially in a house: the daily chores of cleaning,
cooking, and shopping | the administrative chores of the
office 2 a piece of uninteresting, difficult, or unpleasant
work: It's such a chore filling in tax forms.
chor·e·og·raph /'kɒriəɡrɑːf, 'kɔːr-||'kɔːriəɡræf/ v [T] to
make up or arrange the steps and dances for (a BALLET or
piece of music)
chor·e·og·ra·pher /ˌkɒri'ɒɡrəfər, ˌkɔːr-||ˌkɔːri'ɑːɡrə-/ n a
person who choreographs a piece of music
chor·e·og·ra·phy /ˌkɒri'ɡrəfi, kɔːr-||ˌkɔːri'ɑːɡrə-/ n [U] the
art of making up or arranging dances for the stage
chor·is·ter /'kɒrɪstər||'kɔːr-, 'kaɪ·r-/ n a member of a group
of people who sing together (CHOIR), especially a boy who
sings in a church → compare CHOIRBOY
chor·tle /'tʃɔːrtl||'tʃɔrtl/ n, v [I] (to give) a laugh of pleasure
and satisfaction; CHUCKLE: He chortled with delight when
told my news.
cho·rus¹ /'kɔːrəs/ n 1 [C] a part of a song repeated after each
VERSE (=a group of lines) of a song: The audience joined in the