chockablock

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 9, 2008 is: chockablock • \CHAH-kuh-blahk\ • adjective 1 : brought close together 2 : very full Examples: Chandra's tiny apartment is chockablock with fabric, yarn, and other craft supplies. Did you know? "Chockablock" started out as a nautical term. A block is a metal or wooden case with one or more pulleys inside. Sometimes, two or more blocks are used (as part of a rope and pulley system called a "block and tackle") to provide a mechanical advantage -- as, for example, when hoisting a sail on a traditional sailing ship. When the rope is pulled as far as it will go, the blocks are tight together and are said to be "chockablock." Non-nautical types associated the "chock" in "chockablock" with "chock-full," which goes back to Middle English "chokkefull," meaning "full to the limit" (a figurative use of "full to choking"). We thus gave "chockablock" the additional meaning "filled up." "Chockablock" can also be an adverb meaning "as close or as completely as possible," as in "families living chockablock" or the seemingly redundant "chockablock full." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.