Well, this is it, folks. It's back. Word of the Week. Every Monday, a new word for you to chew on. To savour. To enjoy. So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I give you THE WORD.
chockablock • \CHAH-kuh-blahk\
1 : brought close together
2 : very full
Example Sentence:
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."
Courtesy of Merriam-Webster Online
So there you have it. A return to the old again. Every Monday!
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