Middle English Dictionary Entry
chōken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | chōken v. Also chēken. |
| Etymology | OE ā)ceocian; both ē & ō come from short OE eo, the latter from a crescendo diphthong. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. acheken.
1.
(a) To make (sb.) suffocate; suffocate; drown (sb.); (b) to strangle (sb.); (c) to gasp for breath, suffer suffocation.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.139 : Mount Ethna..brende þe bowels of men..and chokede hem with hote ayer.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)54b/a : Somwhat of the mete falliþ in to þe holouȝnes and pipe of þe longe, and þanne þe beest kowheþ and somtyme [is] I strangled and I choked.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)239b/b : Some of alisaundre knightes were y choked with grene fruyte of a palme.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)72 : Chekenyd, or qwerkenyd: Suffocatus, strangulatus..Chekyn or qwerchyn: Suffoco.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)123.55 (v.2:p.313) : A yong man .. put of hys clothis for to han swummyn ouer, and sodeynly the [m]yght of the strem turnyd hym vpsodoun and chekyd hym.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)17/282 : Had I blawen oone blast more I had beyn choked right thore; It stank like the dwill in hell, That longer ther myght I not dwell.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)18/319 : Right as it [smoke] wold vs both haue choked.
b
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)3189 : Ryȝt now shal he me strangle and cheke, Ne shal y neuer aftyr speke.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17689 : The fals traytour! the deuel him cheke!
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12704 : Wyþ his spere he bar hym yn þorow-out þe þrote..Gapyng he lay..Als he was wyþ þe launce cheked.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2154 : Þe deuyl mote þee cheke!
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)109/272 : Thou has dronken a quart, therfor choke the the deyll.
c
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)604 : The fend..choked on the godhede as fisch dos on the hoke.
2.
(a) To stifle or smother (a plant); fig. stifle (a person's sense of duty); (b) to suffuse.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Prelates (Corp-C 296)104 : Prelatis..ben so chokid wiþ talow of worldly goodis..þat þei may not preche þe gospel.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)71/11 : Somme fell among þornes, and hoo in þe grownde choket hit.
b
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 21.25 : Þei abstene hem..fro blode ande fro beeste þat es chokud in blode.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.38ra (2.3) : In pleuresi..is gret colleccioun of superfluites of vile corrupte materes, ouergoand and chekeand þe spirituales.
Note: Additional quot. Editor's gloss: 'checking, overwhelming'.
- ?c1400(1379) Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Roy 17.D.1)f.14rb (1.4) : For alse mychil as þai [children] bene reulesse and kepe no certeyn diete, þerfor here hete is stranglide and chekede.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (BodeMus 187:Harvey)f.25v (2.4) : Vryn white & þinne & mykel in quantite seiþ exces of mete or of drynk..for riȝt os..grete quantite of water cheketh & strangeleþ a litil fire, riȝt so exces of mete & of drynk qwencheþ & fordoþ þe kynde hete in body of man.
Note: Additional quots. Editor's gloss: 'chokes, strangles, checks, stops'. See also new entry choking ger.
Note: ?Some or all of these quots. may belong under chekken v.(1).