Chock vs. Shock: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 4, 2023
Chock is a wedge or support, while Shock is a sudden disturbance or impact.
Key Differences
Chock refers to a wedge or block used to prevent movement, especially in vehicles or machinery. It's a physical object that is often seen on construction sites, airports, or other places where there is heavy machinery or vehicles that need to be kept stationary.
On the other hand, Shock can mean a sudden and intense disturbance, whether emotional, physical, or electrical. It can be a reaction to an unexpected event or news.
While Chock serves a practical, tangible purpose, Shock can manifest both physically, like an electric shock, or mentally, like the shock of surprising news.
Chock offers stability and security by ensuring that things remain in place. In contrast, Shock can disrupt stability, causing abrupt changes or reactions.
Comparison Chart
Nature
Physical object
Disturbance or impact
ADVERTISEMENT
Usage
Typically in the context of stabilization
Refers to unexpected or intense reactions/events
Part of Speech
Noun
Noun, Verb
Associated Fields
Construction, Aviation, Mechanics
Medicine, Psychology, Physics
Examples
Used to keep wheels stationary
Can be emotional, physical, or electrical
Chock and Shock Definitions
Chock
Chock is a restraint used to prevent movement.
The chock kept the boat from drifting.
ADVERTISEMENT
Shock
Shock refers to an electric jolt.
Touching the live wire can give a nasty electric shock.
Chock
Chock is a wedge or block.
Place the chock behind the wheel to prevent movement.
Shock
Shock is a tuft or bundle.
A shock of wheat stood tall in the field.
Chock
Chock can mean to support or bolster.
Chock the shelf with brackets to ensure it holds.
Shock
A violent collision, impact, or explosion, or the force or movement resulting from this
The shock of the explosion blew out windows of every building on the street.
Chock
Chock means to stabilize or secure.
Chock the airplane's tires before maintenance.
Shock
Something that suddenly causes emotional distress
The news of his death was a shock to all of us.
Chock
A block or wedge placed under something else, such as a wheel, to keep it from moving.
Shock
A sudden feeling of distress
The shock of the news has not yet worn off.
Chock
(Nautical) A heavy fitting of metal or wood with two jaws curving inward, through which a rope or cable may be run.
Shock
A massive, acute physiological reaction usually to physical trauma, infection, or allergy, characterized by a marked loss of blood pressure, resulting in a diminished blood flow to body tissues and a rapid heart rate.
Chock
To fit with or secure by a chock
The plane's wheels were chocked and chained down.
Shock
The sensation and muscular spasm caused by an electric current passing through the body or a body part.
Chock
(Nautical) To place (a boat) on blocks or wedges.
Shock
A sudden economic disturbance, such as a rise in the price of a commodity.
Chock
As close as possible
Had to stand chock up against the railing.
Shock
A shock absorber.
Chock
Any object used as a wedge or filler, especially when placed behind a wheel to prevent it from rolling.
Shock
A number of sheaves of grain stacked upright in a field for drying.
Chock
(nautical) Any fitting or fixture used to restrict movement, especially movement of a line; traditionally was a fixture near a bulwark with two horns pointing towards each other, with a gap between where the line can be inserted.
Shock
A thick heavy mass
A shock of white hair.
Chock
(obsolete) An encounter.
Shock
To surprise and disturb greatly
We were shocked by his admission of wrongdoing.
Chock
(transitive) To stop or fasten, as with a wedge, or block; to scotch.
Shock
To induce a state of physical shock in (an animal or person).
Chock
To fill up, as a cavity.
Shock
To subject (an animal or person) to an electric shock.
Chock
(nautical) To insert a line in a chock.
Shock
To administer electric current to (a patient) to treat cardiac arrest or life-threatening arrhythmias.
Chock
(obsolete) To encounter.
Shock
To administer electroconvulsive therapy to (a patient).
Chock
To make a dull sound.
Shock
To come into contact violently, as in battle; collide.
Chock
(nautical) Entirely; quite.
Shock
To gather (grain) into shocks.
Chock
To stop or fasten, as with a wedge, or block; to scotch; as, to chock a wheel or cask.
Shock
A sudden, heavy impact.
The train hit the buffers with a great shock.
Chock
To fill up, as a cavity.
Shock
(figuratively) Something so surprising that it is stunning.
Chock
To encounter.
Shock
(psychology) A sudden or violent mental or emotional disturbance.
Chock
A wedge, or block made to fit in any space which it is desired to fill, esp. something to steady a cask or other body, or prevent it from moving, by fitting into the space around or beneath it.
Shock
(medicine) Electric shock, a sudden burst of electrical energy hitting a person or animal.
Chock
A heavy casting of metal, usually fixed near the gunwale. It has two short horn-shaped arms curving inward, between which ropes or hawsers may pass for towing, mooring, etc.
Shock
(psychology) A state of distress following a mental or emotional disturbance.
Fans were in shock in the days following the singer's death.
Chock
An encounter.
Shock
(medicine) Circulatory shock, a medical emergency characterized by the inability of the circulatory system to supply enough oxygen to meet tissue requirements.
Chock
Entirely; quite; as, chock home; chock aft.
Shock
(physics) A shock wave.
Several reflected shocks enter the bomb core in rapid succession, each helping to compress it to its maximum density.
Chock
A block of wood used to prevent the sliding or rolling of a heavy object
Shock
A shock absorber (typically in the suspension of a vehicle).
If your truck's been riding rough, it might need new shocks.
Chock
Secure with chocks
Shock
(mathematics) A discontinuity arising in the solution of a partial differential equation.
Chock
Support on chocks;
Chock the boat
Shock
A chemical added to a swimming pool to moderate the chlorine levels.
Chock
As completely as possible;
It was chock-a-block full
Shock
An arrangement of sheaves for drying; a stook.
Chock
Chock refers to filling a space fully.
The room was chock full of antiques.
Shock
A lot consisting of sixty pieces; a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.
Shock
(by extension) A tuft or bunch of something, such as hair or grass.
His head boasted a shock of sandy hair.
Shock
(obsolete) A small dog with long shaggy hair, especially a poodle or spitz; a shaggy lapdog.
Shock
Causing intense surprise, horror, etc.; unexpected and shocking.
His shock announcement rocked the tennis world.
Shock
(transitive) To cause to be emotionally shocked; to cause (someone) to feel surprised and upset.
The disaster shocked the world.
Shock
(transitive) To give an electric shock to.
Shock
(transitive) To subject to a shock wave or violent impact.
Ammonium nitrate can detonate if severely shocked.
Shock
To meet with a shock; to collide in a violent encounter.
Shock
(transitive) To add a chemical to (a swimming pool) to moderate the chlorine levels.
Shock
(transitive) To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook.
To shock rye
Shock
A pile or assemblage of sheaves of grain, as wheat, rye, or the like, set up in a field, the sheaves varying in number from twelve to sixteen; a stook.
And cause it on shocks to be by and by set.
Behind the master walks, builds up the shocks.
Shock
A lot consisting of sixty pieces; - a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.
Shock
A quivering or shaking which is the effect of a blow, collision, or violent impulse; a blow, impact, or collision; a concussion; a sudden violent impulse or onset.
These strong, unshaken mounds resist the shocksOf tides and seas tempestuous.
He stood the shock of a whole host of foes.
Shock
A sudden agitation of the mind or feelings; a sensation of pleasure or pain caused by something unexpected or overpowering; also, a sudden agitating or overpowering event.
Shock
A sudden depression of the vital forces of the entire body, or of a port of it, marking some profound impression produced upon the nervous system, as by severe injury, overpowering emotion, or the like.
Shock
The sudden convulsion or contraction of the muscles, with the feeling of a concussion, caused by the discharge, through the animal system, of electricity from a charged body.
Shock
A dog with long hair or shag; - called also shockdog.
Shock
A thick mass of bushy hair; as, a head covered with a shock of sandy hair.
Shock
To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook; as, to shock rye.
Shock
To be occupied with making shocks.
Reap well, scatter not, gather clean that is shorn,Bind fast, shock apace.
Shock
To give a shock to; to cause to shake or waver; hence, to strike against suddenly; to encounter with violence.
Come the three corners of the world in arms,And we shall shock them.
I shall never forget the force with which he shocked De Vipont.
Shock
To strike with surprise, terror, horror, or disgust; to cause to recoil; as, his violence shocked his associates.
Advise him not to shock a father's will.
Shock
To subject to the action of an electrical discharge so as to cause a more or less violent depression or commotion of the nervous system.
Shock
To meet with a shock; to meet in violent encounter.
Shock
Bushy; shaggy; as, a shock hair.
His red shock peruke . . . was laid aside.
Shock
The feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally;
His mother's deathleft him in a daze
He was numb with shock
Shock
The violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat;
The armies met in the shock of battle
Shock
A reflex response to the passage of electric current through the body;
Subjects received a small electric shock when they mae the wrong response
Electricians get accustomed to occasional shocks
Shock
(pathology) bodily collapse or near collapse caused by inadequate oxygen delivery to the cells; characterized by reduced cardiac output and rapid heartbeat and circulatory insufficiency and pallor;
Loss of blood is an important cause of shock
Shock
An instance of agitation of the earth's crust;
The first shock of the earthquake came shortly after noon while workers were at lunch
Shock
An unpleasant or disappointing surprise;
It came as a shock to learn that he was injured
Shock
A pile of sheaves of grain set on end in a field to dry; stalks of Indian corn set up in a field;
Corn is bound in small sheeves and several sheeves are set up together in shocks
Whole fields of wheat in shock
Shock
A bushy thick mass (especially hair);
He had an unruly shock of black hair
Shock
A mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses;
The old car needed a new set of shocks
Shock
Surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off;
I was floored when I heard that I was promoted
Shock
Strike with disgust or revulsion;
The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends
Shock
Strike with horror or terror;
The news of the bombing shocked her
Shock
Collide violently
Shock
Collect or gather into shocks;
Shock grain
Shock
Subject to electrical shocks
Shock
Inflict a trauma upon
Shock
Shock is a sudden upsetting or surprising event.
The news of the accident gave him a great shock.
Shock
Shock is a life-threatening medical condition.
The patient went into shock after the surgery.
Shock
Shock is to deeply disturb or offend.
The scandalous revelation shocked the community.
FAQs
Can Chock mean to fill a space fully?
Yes, as in "the room was chock full of people."
Can Shock be used as a verb?
Yes, "shock" can mean to cause someone to feel surprised or upset.
Is Chock commonly used in everyday language?
Chock is more common in specific contexts like construction or aviation, less in daily conversation.
What causes someone to go into medical shock?
Factors like trauma, infection, or certain severe medical conditions can cause shock.
Can positive news also be a shock?
Absolutely! Unexpected, intense reactions can come from positive news as well.
Can I use chocks for my car on an incline?
Yes, chocks can prevent a car from rolling downhill.
How can I differentiate between Chock and Shock in pronunciation?
"Chock" sounds like "chalk," while "Shock" sounds like "shock."
What are the symptoms of shock in a medical context?
Symptoms include cold/clammy skin, rapid heartbeat, and shallow breathing.
How does an electric shock occur?
When there's a sudden discharge of electricity through a part of the body.
Can a movie or book shock someone?
Yes, intense or unexpected scenes can be shocking.
What materials are chocks typically made of?
Chocks are often made of rubber, metal, or wood.
Why is it important to chock airplane wheels?
Chocking ensures that the plane remains stationary during loading, unloading, or maintenance.
Is there a specific size for chocks?
No, chocks come in various sizes based on the equipment or vehicle they're intended for.
Are there different types of medical shock?
Yes, including septic, cardiogenic, and hypovolemic shock, among others.
Can a person be in a state of shock without physical injury?
Yes, emotional or psychological events can cause shock.
How can one avoid electric shocks at home?
By ensuring proper grounding, avoiding water near electrical outlets, and not overloading circuits.
What's the primary purpose of a chock in aviation?
To prevent an aircraft from moving unintentionally.
Are shocks dangerous in electrical systems?
Yes, they can cause injury or even be fatal.
What's the opposite of chocking an object?
Removing the chock or releasing the restraint.
Can "chock" be used as a verb?
Yes, it means to stabilize or secure using a chock.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
