1. To reject inPUt, often ungracefully. "NULs make System V' s "lpr(1)" choke." "I tried building an Emacs binary 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]