Chock-full Definition

Origin of Chock-full

• From "English Language and Usage" site: c.1400, chokkeful “crammed full,” possibly from choke “cheek” (see cheek (n.)). Or it may be from Old French choquier “collide, crash, hit” [similar to shock]. Middle English chokkeful already had the same meaning as modern chock-full. Both this word and choke “to strangle” likely derive ultimately from Old English words meaning “jaw, cheek.” The end result is the same: a mouthful.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English chokkeful chokke- of unknown meaning (perhaps from choken to choke choke) (or from chokken to thrust) (from Old French choquer to collide with shock¹) -ful -ful

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• From "Online Etymology Dictionary" site: c.1400, chokkeful "crammed full," possibly from choke "cheek" (see cheek (n.)). Or it may be from Old French choquier "collide, crash, hit" (13c., Modern French choquer), which is probably from Germanic (cf. Middle Dutch schokken; see shock (n.1)).

  From Wiktionary

• Alternately, chokkeful may derive from a more violent word: forced full.

  From Wiktionary