choke up

choke someone up

Fig. to cause someone to feel like starting to cry. Sad stories like that always choke me up. The movie was sad and it choked up most of the audience.

See also: choke, up

choke something up 

1. to clog something up; to fill up and block something. Branches and leaves choked the sewer up. Rust choked up the pipes.

2. to cough or choke until something that has blocked one's windpipe is brought up. The old man choked up the candy that was stuck in his windpipe. He choked up the chunk of meat and could breathe again.

See also: choke, up

choke up 

1. to feel like crying. I choked up when I heard the news. He was beginning to choke up as he talked.

2. to become emotional or saddened so that one cannot speak. I choked up when I heard about the disaster. I was choking up, and I knew I would not be able to go on.

See also: choke, up

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choke (you) up

to have difficulty speaking because you feel great emotion During his farewell talk the coach got all choked up and started to cry.

See also: choke, up