choker
nounUK /ˈtʃəʊkə/ · US /ˈt͡ʃoʊkɚ/
Etymology From choke + -er.
1
Fashion, Lifestyle A piece of jewelry or ornamental fabric, worn as a necklace or neckerchief, tight to the throat.
- After half a minute or so there was a shuffle of feet outside. The door was opened, and a head appeared. It was a small head with a tweed cap on the top of it. It had a stringy-looking choker beneath and a dark unshavenness across its face.1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954, page 128:
- Anne Talbot looked demurely ravishing, as was her intention, in a very low-cut evening frock of bottle-green, choker of Kelantan silver, earrings in the shape of krises.1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 292:
2 more examples
- She appears on the 90th anniversary issue of French Vogue wearing nothing but a mask, gloves and a choker – everything but her now iconic gap-toothed pout and impressive cleavage is obscured.2010 October 24, Alice Fisher, “Lara Stone: 'I think naughty photoshoots suit my personality'”, in The Observer:
- The words: “Take your hands off when I say no, take your eyes off when I say no” were spelled out on video screens as the first model marched past in loose black layers, a punky choker and black shoes.2023 September 26, Jess Cartner-Morley, “Dior opens Paris fashion week with feminist sloganeering on the catwalk”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
2
One who, or that which, chokes or strangles.
- The Yorkshire Choker, a serial killer who quotes Shakespeare, is pursued by Dalziel and Pascoe.1990, Janet Husband, Jonathan F. Husband, Sequels: An Annotated Guide to Novels in Series, page 199:
3
One who operates the choke of an engine during ignition.
4
Slang Any disappointing or upsetting circumstance.
- I lost £100 on the horses today — what a choker!
5
One who performs badly at an important part of a competition because they are nervous, especially when winning.
- The choker tag will always follow the Proteas until we win a trophy — Temba Bavuma
6
A loop of cable fastened around a log to haul it.
- Derived terms
- choker chain, chokered, choker fan, chokerman, hogchoker, muffin choker, nigger choker, white choker