choke down
Definition
Verb: 1. To swallow with difficulty or reluctance: To force oneself to eat or drink something unpleasant or difficult to swallow, often due to its taste, texture, or an associated emotional state. 2. To suppress or restrain (an emotion or reaction): To forcibly hold back a strong feeling, such as anger, tears, or a comment.
Usage
The verb "choke down" is a phrasal verb. It is transitive and requires a direct object (the thing being swallowed or the emotion being suppressed). It often implies a struggle or a conscious effort to overcome reluctance or discomfort.
Examples
Swallowing with difficulty:
- The medicine was so bitter that I had to choke it down with a glass of water.
- He choked down the dry, flavorless crackers just to have something in his stomach.
Suppressing an emotion or reaction:
- She choked down her anger and responded calmly to the unfair criticism.
- He choked down a sob when he heard the sad news.
Advanced Usage
- "Choke down one's pride": To reluctantly accept a humbling situation or admit fault.
- To keep his job, he had to choke down his pride and apologize.
Variants and Related Words
- Choke back (phrasal verb): Very similar to "choke down" when referring to suppressing emotions, especially tears or sobs.
- She choked back her tears during the farewell speech.
Synonyms
- Swallow: To cause food or drink to pass from the mouth into the stomach. (Neutral, without the connotation of difficulty).
- Force down: To eat or drink something with effort.
- Suppress: To prevent the expression of a feeling or reaction.
- Stifle: To prevent a feeling, expression, or sound from being released.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Choke up (phrasal verb): To become too emotional to speak.
- He choked up while giving his thank-you speech.
Related Idioms
- Bite one's tongue: To stop oneself from saying something that might be inappropriate or hurtful. (Similar to suppressing a comment).
- I had to bite my tongue to avoid arguing.
Verb
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suppress
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He choked down his rage
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