1. To reject input, often ungracefully. "NULs make System V' s "lpr(1)" choke." "I tried Building an EmacsBinary to use X, But "cpp(1)" choked on all those "#define"s." See Barf, gag. 2. [MIT] More generally, to fail at any endeavor, But with some flair or Bravado the popular definition is "to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." [Jargon File]