poach

¹ American  

[pohch] / poʊtʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to cook (eggs, fish, fruits, etc.) in a hot liquid that is kept just below the boiling point.

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poach ² American  

[pohch] / poʊtʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to trespass on (private property), especially in order to hunt or fish.

2. to steal (game or fish) from another's property.

3. to take without permission and use as one's own.

   to poach ideas;

   a staff poached from other companies.

4. to break or tear up by trampling.

5. to mix with water and reduce to a uniform consistency, as clay.

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verb (used without object)

1. to trespass, especially on another's game preserve, in order to steal animals or to hunt.

2. to take game or fish illegally.

3. (of land) to become broken up or slushy by being trampled.

4. (in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) to play a ball hit into the territory of one's partner that is properly the partner's ball to play.

5. Informal. to cheat in a game or contest.

poach ¹ British  

/ pəʊtʃ /

verb

1. to catch (game, fish, etc) illegally by trespassing on private property

2. to encroach on or usurp (another person's rights, duties, etc) or steal (an idea, employee, etc)

3. tennis badminton to take or play (shots that should belong to one's partner)

4. to break up (land) into wet muddy patches, as by riding over it, or (of land) to become broken up in this way

5. (intr) (of the feet, shoes, etc) to sink into heavy wet ground

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poach ² British  

/ pəʊtʃ /

verb

1. to simmer (eggs, fish, etc) very gently in water, milk, stock, etc

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Other Word Forms

• poachable adjective

Etymology

Origin of poach¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun poche “poached eggs (in sauce),” from Old French pochié, past participle of pochier “to bag (the yolk inside the white),” derivative of poche “bag, pocket,” from Middle Dutch poke poke ²

Origin of poach²

First recorded in 1520–30; of uncertain origin; perhaps from earlier meaning “to shove, thrust,” from Middle French pocher “to gouge,” from Germanic; akin to poke ¹

Example Sentences

Rhino poaching almost doubled in South Africa's Kruger National Park in 2025 compared to the previous year, despite interventions including dehorning and lie detector tests for rangers, the government said Tuesday.

From Barron's

Would his pace and breakdown poaching ability be as effective from the start?

From BBC

“I think they poached the last one,” he says.

From Barron's

When they do, workers often are poached by competitors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Crews can’t hire fast enough, and when they do, workers often are poached by competitors dangling higher wages.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• smuggle