▪ I. choky, n. Anglo-Ind.
(tʃəʊkɪ)
Also 7 chukey, chocky, 7–9 chowkie, -kee, 9 chokey, choakee.
[Hindī chaukī shed, watch-house, station, lock-up.]
1. A custom or toll station, in India (in quot. 1608 erroneously applied to the toll itself); a station for palankin-bearers, horses, etc., a guard-house; a police-station.
| 1608 Saris in Purchas Pilgr. I. 391 (Y.) The Kings Custome called Chukey. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 100 (Y.) At every gate, stands a Chocky, or Watch to receive Toll. Ibid. 410 A Chowkie, i.e. a Shed where the Customer keeps a Watch to take Custom. 1810 Wellington in Gurw. Disp. I. 326 Duties are levied at the different chokeys close to the Island. 1810 T. Williamson E. Ind. Vade-Mec. I. 297 (Y.) Chokies or patrol stations. 1845 Stocqueler Hand-bk. Brit. India (1854) 192 Solitary chowkies. |
2. A police ‘station’ or lock-up (in India).
| 1866 Livingstone Jrnl. (1873) I. iii. 77 The idea of the great Mataka in ‘chokee’ made him wince. 1869 Times of India 4 Jan., He was taken to the chowkey close by. |
b. In this sense also English slang, and by association with choke, variously misused. [Cf. choke n.1 1 b, choker 3.]
| 1873 Slang Dict., Chokey is also very vulgar slang for prison. 1877 Besant & Rice Son of Vul. ii. vi. 223 I'll cool his heels in chokee for a month, and warm them on the treadmill afterwards. 1884 Daily News 24 Sept. 3/1 Wright..would get two or three days ‘choky’ (i.e. bread and water). |
▪ II. choky, a. Now chiefly colloq.
(ˈtʃəʊkɪ)
Also choaky, chocky, chokey.
[f. choke v. + -y1.]
1. Apt to choke one who tries to swallow it; harsh, dry, and gritty. Said of fruit, and transf.
| 1579 Langham Gard. Health (1633) 459 The sower, rough and choky Peares. 1638 Wilkins New World xi. (1707) 91 Keplar..guesses that the Earth there is of a more choaky Soil. 1661 K. W. Conf. Charac. (1860) 38 A choaky peare..as bad and ill-savoured as ever. 1662 Fuller Worthies, Warwicksh. 115 The Heart but not the Core of England, having nothing Course or Choaky therein. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. I. x. 297 If it is kept..it becomes dry, and eats harsh and choaky. a 1722 Lisle Husb. 354 If milk be sour, the cheese..will always eat chocky and never eat fat. |
2. Stifling, suffocating.
| 1690 Crowne Eng. Frier iii. 29 The room within is close and choaky. |
3. Having or showing tendency to choking.
| 1857 Hughes Tom Brown i. iv, The allusion to his mother made Tom feel rather chokey. 1859 F. E. Paget Curate Cumberworth 71 Daintily picking her way through a somewhat dark and choky shrubbery. |