choked

Choked is the past tense of choke and describes something that is blocked, obstructed, or constricted. The term is used in medical contexts as well as in physics, engineering, firearms, and everyday language to convey a sense of suffocation, crowding, or restriction.

Medical choking refers to an airway obstruction caused by a foreign object or tissue. Signs include coughing, inability to speak or breathe, choking sounds, and sometimes bluish skin. It is a medical emergency. If the person can cough forcefully, encourage continued coughing to dislodge the object. If they cannot breathe, speak, or cough, call emergency services and provide first aid: for adults and older children, perform abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) while ensuring the airway is checked and cleared when safe; for infants, use back blows and chest thrusts. If the person becomes unconscious, begin CPR and check the mouth for the object if it can be done safely.

Choking in physics and engineering refers to a flow regime where a gas passing through a restriction reaches sonic speed at the narrowest point, making the mass flow essentially independent of downstream pressure. This phenomenon is relevant in nozzles, valves, and rocket engines. In firearms terminology, a choke describes a constriction at the muzzle that shapes the spread of shot; a barrel described as choked is fitted with a choke tube to control dispersion.

Figuratively, choked can describe situations that feel constrained or overwhelmed, such as a crowded room or scarce options, and is used across journalism, sports reporting, and everyday speech.