1. A mixture of gases (chiefly carbon dioxide and nitrogen) found in coal mines that can cause asphyxiation; a type of mine gas.
Usage: mining; historical; plural or mass noun

Examples

• Miners had to be cautious of chokedamps accumulating in poorly ventilated shafts.
• The presence of chokedamps made deep coal mining extremely hazardous in the 19th century.
• Ventilation systems were developed to disperse chokedamps and protect workers underground.
• Chokedamps could kill a miner within minutes if proper safety measures were not in place.