A short, tight necklace worn close to the neck, or a person who fails under pressure.
From choke (to restrict breathing) + -er (one who). Originally 16th-century English, referring to anything tight around the neck; evolved to mean jewelry by the 1800s.
Chokers have cycled in and out of fashion dramatically—they were a status symbol among Victorian high society, vanished for decades, then exploded in popularity in the 1990s as a rebellious teen fashion statement.
Choker jewelry history is bound up in gendered fashion control (from corsets to 1990s sexualization); the term can also evoke both strangulation and female sexual objectification depending on context.
In fashion contexts, be specific: 'choker necklace' or 'collar necklace'. In sports/performance, use 'under-performer' or 'failed under pressure'. Avoid metaphorically.
["collar necklace","neck jewelry","under-performer","faltered"]
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