poach

[ pohch ]

/ poʊtʃ /

See synonyms for: poach / poaching on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

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

to take game or fish illegally.

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

(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.

Informal. to cheat in a game or contest.

verb (used with object)

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

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

to take without permission and use as one's own: to poach ideas; a staff poached from other companies.

to break or tear up by trampling.

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

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Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.

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Origin of poach

1520–30; earlier: to shove, thrust <Middle French pocher to gouge <Germanic; akin to poke¹

OTHER WORDS FROM poach

poach·a·ble, adjective

Definition for poach (2 of 2)

poach²

[ pohch ]

/ poʊtʃ /

verb (used with object)

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

Origin of poach

1350–1400; Middle English poche<Middle French pocher literally, to bag (the yolk inside the white), derivative of poche bag (French poche pocket) <Middle Dutch pokepoke²

OTHER WORDS FROM poach

poach·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for poach

When I’ve made this dessert, I usually reduce the liquid I've used to poach the pears down a bit, so it becomes a rich syrup to pour over the pears and ice cream.
This cocktail can keep you warm around the fire pit — and you can make it there, too|M. Carrie Allan|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
The first community-led project, called Human Presence Detection, will alert park rangers of poaching risk using audio sampling to detect human presence in areas where humans are not supposed to be.
Can artificial intelligence give elephants a winning edge?|Walter Thompson|November 20, 2020|TechCrunch
Barber got her first taste of the startup world when she was poached from McKinsey to join one of the several online pet supply stores that cropped up in 1999.
Venture firm M13 names former Techstars LA managing director, Anna Barber, as its newest partner|Jonathan Shieber|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch
As the mix bubbles over an open burner, small shrimp are tossed in to cook for a few minutes before an egg is quickly poached or scrambled in the brew.
Five Must-Try Dishes in Casablanca, Morocco|Amanda Ponzio-Mouttaki|November 11, 2020|Eater

Lobster poached in butter and arranged with fennel puree and baby carrots is delicious if routine.
A reopened Marcel’s reminds me that fine dining, especially now, is about more than food|Tom Sietsema|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
They are poached instead of hard-boiled, boasting anti-heroes with nihilistic worldviews who are nevertheless vulnerable.
‘True Detective,’ Obsessive-Compulsive Noir, and ‘Twin Peaks’|Jimmy So|March 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If elephant, rhino, and other African wildlife are poached to extinction, tourism will dry up.
Borana Joins the Fight to Save Kenya’s Rhinos…and Wants You to Help Too|Joanna Eede|February 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mired in scandal, the Vatican poached an American Fox News journalist to handle communications.
Greg Burke: The Pope’s New PR Guy|Barbie Latza Nadeau|June 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The resulting column revealed that on Sundays, Hoover ate a hearty breakfast of poached eggs and hotcakes.
Hoover’s Secret Files|Ronald Kessler|August 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Meanwhile, back by the pool, chef Michel Roux served a buffet of roasted meats, poached seafood, and fresh pastries.
A Starry Night in Morocco|David Kaufman|November 29, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Use simple experiments or watch the poached egg, to make a study of the changes produced in the egg by the application of heat.
Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools|Ministry of Education Ontario
Spread on thin slices of toast and lay a fried or poached egg on each slice.
The Myrtle Reed Cook Book|Myrtle Reed
Poached eggs are usually served on thin slices of buttered toast.
The Myrtle Reed Cook Book|Myrtle Reed
If eggs are served for breakfast they are usually cooked in the shell, poached or scrambled.
Scouting For Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts|Girl Scouts
If I were not afraid of having it set down as a joke, I should say that I poached everything from eggs to deer.
The Enchanted Typewriter|John Kendrick Bangs

British Dictionary definitions for poach (1 of 2)

poach¹

/ (pəʊtʃ) /

verb

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

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

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

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

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

Word Origin for poach

C17: from Old French pocher, of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch poken to prod; see poke 1

British Dictionary definitions for poach (2 of 2)

poach²

/ (pəʊtʃ) /

verb

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

Word Origin for poach

C15: from Old French pochier to enclose in a bag (as the yolks are enclosed by the whites); compare poke ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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poach

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Origin of poach

OTHER WORDS FROM poach

Definition for poach (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

Origin of poach

OTHER WORDS FROM poach

Example sentences from the Web for poach

British Dictionary definitions for poach (1 of 2)

verb

Word Origin for poach

British Dictionary definitions for poach (2 of 2)

verb

Word Origin for poach

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

poach

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Origin of poach

OTHER WORDS FROM poach

Definition for poach (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

Origin of poach

OTHER WORDS FROM poach

Words related to poach

Example sentences from the Web for poach

British Dictionary definitions for poach (1 of 2)

verb

Word Origin for poach

British Dictionary definitions for poach (2 of 2)

verb

Word Origin for poach