chockablock
Americanadjective
-
extremely full; crowded; jammed.
a room chockablock with furniture and plants.
-
Nautical. having the blocks drawn close together, as when the tackle is hauled to the utmost.
adverb
Usage
What does chockablock mean? Chockablock describes something, such as a space, that is filled to the utmost or extremely crowded.Chockablock can describe anything that is literally filled to capacity, such as a room or a container, as in All the bins in the store were chockablock with sale items. Frequently, it is used to describe a space filled with people, as in The museum’s special exhibit of mummies was chockablock with people.Chockablock can also be used figuratively to mean filled throughout, as in You’ll always find a place to eat because this neighborhood is chockablock with restaurants.Chockablock also means in a crowded manner, as in After the concert let out, the subway trains were filled chockablock with concertgoers.In nautical terms, chockablock means having the blocks drawn close together. In this situation, a block is a case that contains pulleys. On large ships, multiple blocks will often be used in tandem to create a pulley system known as a block and tackle, which is used to lift heavy weights or to open large sails with the use of a single rope or mechanism. When these blocks are pulled together so that they are touching while holding their full load, they are described as being chockablock.Example: This place is chockablock with people. I think we should go somewhere else.
Etymology
Origin of chockablock
First recorded in 1790–1800; chock (in the sense wedge) + -a- connnecting vowel that is probably a reduced form of and + block (in the sense solid mass of wood)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His passion project arrives, chockablock with design and speechifying, but Jacob Elordi’s quiet presence pulls focus.
From Los Angeles Times
Based on Larson’s research, he writes his nonfiction like a novel, chockablock full of weird and wondrous details of Chicago at the fin de siècle.
From Los Angeles Times
As Justin Chang wrote in his New Yorker review of the two movies, “Both are chockablock with political conspiracies, authoritarian abuses and foul-tempered monkeys, none of which adds up to a full-blown phenomenon.”
From Los Angeles Times
Mori properties are chockablock with amenities, but they are not necessarily spacious or affordable.
From Seattle Times
“In a life chockablock with joy and success, my two failed marriages are my greatest regret.”
From Seattle Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
