Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1800-1900
Origin: chock-a-block 'with the wooden blocks of a tackle (= ropes for lifting) touching each other, so that no more can be lifted' (1800-1900), from chock on block; influenced by chock-full

chock-a-block

 adjective
     
chock-a-block [not before noun] British English
completely full of people or things
chock-a-block with
Paris was chock-a-block with tourists.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary