חָנַק (b. h.; cmp. אנק, ענק) [to press,] to seize by the throat, to choke. Tosef. Sabb. III (IV), 6 ואין חוֹנְקִין בשבת you must not press (the jugular veins, to relieve from belly-ache) on the Sabbath; v. infra Pi.—B. Bath. X, 8 (175ᵇ) הרי החוֹנֵק את וכ׳ if one seizes a debtor by the throat (threatening violence). Ib. 176ᵃ בחָנוּק in the case of one being threatened (and another pledging himself for him). Sabb. 57ᵃ אין אשה חוֹנֶקֶת וכ׳ a woman will not choke herself (will not tie a band around her neck so closely that no water could get under it when bathing); ib.ᵇ אשה ח׳ וכ׳ a woman does tie a chain closely in order to appear fleshy. Gen. R. s. 34 (ref. to דם האדם באדם, Gen. IX, 6) אף החוֹנְקוֹ (the gentile is guilty of bloodshed) even if he only chokes a man (‘shedding the blood of man in man’); Y. Kidd. I, 58ᶜ top בחונקו מפני עצמו (read: ממונו) when he merely chokes him to take his money; a. e.—Esp. to strangle to death. B. Kam. 47ᵇ ח׳ את עצמו (the ox) strangled himself (by being caught in a rope). Y. Sot. IX, 23ᶜ נמצא חָנוּק if he was found strangled; a. e.—Trnsf. to produce anguish, agony. Ḥull. I, 2 מפני שהן חוֹנְקִין because they (a saw &c.) cause agony as if by choking (instead of cutting).—[Kidd. 62ᵃ (ref. to Num. V, 19—20) according to R. Meïr (who says that a condition is not valid unless both the negative and the positive alternatives are stated) חִנְקִי מיבעי ליה it ought to have been added (to vers 20) ‘die in agony’. א"ר תנחום הנקי כתיב said R. T. it says (verse 19) hnki (which may be read hinnaki for the one alternative and hinki for ḥinki for the other); Ar. reads הנקי, v. נָקִי.]
Nif. - נֶחְנַק 1) to be strangled. Snh. XI, 1 (84ᵇ) הנֶחְנָקִין those sentenced to death by strangulation. Pes. 112ᵃ לֵיחָנֵק, v. אִילָּן. —2) to feel like choking, to be sorry (cmp. אָנַק). Cant. R. to IV, 12 התחיל … רואה ונ׳ the seller sees it and grieves (over his loss); Yalk. Ex. 225 Mekh. B’shall. s. 1 לֵיחָנֵק.—[Sabb. 66ᵇ, v. infra.]