chock

IPA/tʃɒk/
KK[tʃˈɑk]IPA/tʃɑːk/

chock — noun

  • chocksingular
  • chocksplural

1. a sturdy block, typically wooden or rubber, placed against a wheel or heavy obje

1.nounB2
Definition

a sturdy block, typically wooden or rubber, placed against a wheel or heavy object to keep it from shifting or rolling away

Example

Yuki slid a wooden chock under each wheel before releasing the handbrake.

collocation: wooden chock / slide a chock under

The flight attendant placed chocks behind the luggage cart on the sloping tarmac.

Common collocations
  • wooden chock
  • rubber chock
  • wheel chock
  • slide a chock under
Synonyms
  • wedge

    a wedge is any tapered piece used for forcing things apart; a chock is a wedge made specifically for stopping movement

  • block

    a block is a general term for any solid piece; chock names the purpose of preventing motion

Common Mistakes

He chocked the old papers in the bin.
He chucked the old papers in the bin.
'chock' means to wedge something in place; 'chuck' is informal for throw away.

chock — adverb

chock — verb

Word family

  • chock-full
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

The noun 'chock' names a specific tool: a block or wedge whose sole job is to stop a wheel or heavy object from moving. 'Wedge' is broader — any tapered piece that can split, lift, or hold things apart; a chock is one kind of wedge, used only for braking or steadying. 'Block' is even more general: a solid piece of material, with no particular shape or job implied. 'Stop' as a noun can mean any device that halts motion — from a doorstop to a brake — but it tells you nothing about shape or how it works. Use 'chock' when the block is wedged under or against something round or roll-prone, especially in aviation, automotive, or warehouse settings. For example: 'The pilot asked the ground crew to remove the chocks before taxiing' (chock is the correct term here, not wedge or block).

wedge ↗block ↗stop ↗

Etymology

GaulishOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The noun 'chock' entered English in the 17th century from Old French 'choque' or Norman French 'choque', meaning a block or log, probably of Gaulish origin. It first appeared as a nautical term for a block used to steady cargo or secure ropes. The verb developed naturally from the noun — to chock something meant to place a chock against it. The adverb 'chock' (as in 'chock-full') may have a separate history: it possibly comes from Middle English 'chokkefull', meaning 'full to choking', related to 'cheek' or 'choke'. Over time the two strands merged in spelling, and today 'chock-full' is the sole surviving adverbial use.