poaching
[poh-ching]
- the illegal practice of trespassing on another's property to hunt or steal game without the landowner's permission.
- any encroachment on another's property, rights, ideas, or the like.
Show More
Origin of poaching
poach1
[pohch]
- 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.
Show More
- 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.
Show More
Origin of poach1
poach2
[pohch]
- to cook (eggs, fish, fruits, etc.) in a hot liquid that is kept just below the boiling point.
Show More
Origin of poach2
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 poke poke2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for poaching
Contemporary Examples
Now poaching is on the rise and wildlife conservation in peril.
Poaching fell off dramatically, and the black market price of ivory dropped.
“We are reaching a point where deaths from poaching and natural mortality are overtaking the birth rate,” Cathy Dean said.
Hillary Clinton has made the end of poaching her cause célèbre since leaving office.
Sarkozy has looked to repeat his 2007 feat of poaching far-right support, while paying lip service to the centrists he needs.
Historical Examples
Eggs for poaching should be perfectly fresh, or they will not keep a nice shape.
The Skilful CookMary Harrison
I took thee for an angler, and thou art but a poaching knave!
Angling SketchesAndrew Lang
"Off on one of his poaching expeditions, I suppose," said Bent.
The Borough TreasurerJoseph Smith Fletcher
He does a bit of rat-catching, and a bit of mole-catching—and a good deal of poaching.
The Borough TreasurerJoseph Smith Fletcher
Na, na, it's no the Waal that's to blame for the poaching and delinquencies on the game.
St. Ronan's WellSir Walter Scott
poach1
- 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
Show More
Word Origin
C17: from Old French pocher, of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch poken to prod; see poke 1
poach2
- to simmer (eggs, fish, etc) very gently in water, milk, stock, etc
Show More
Word Origin
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
Word Origin and History for poaching
poach
v.1
"steal game," 1520s, "to push, poke," from Middle French pocher "to thrust, poke," from Old French pochier "poke out, gouge, prod, jab," from a Germanic source (cf. Middle High German puchen "to pound, beat, knock," German pochen, Middle Dutch boken "to beat") related to poke (v.). Sense of "trespass for the sake of stealing" is first attested 1610s, perhaps via notion of "thrusting" oneself onto another's property, or perhaps from French pocher "to pocket" (see poach (v.2)). Related: Poached; poaching.
Show More
poach
v.2
"cook in liquid," early 15c., from Old French poché, past participle of pochier (12c.), literally "put into a pocket" (as the white of an egg forms a pocket for the yolk), from poche "bag, pocket," from Frankish *pokka "bag," from Proto-Germanic *puk- (see poke (n.)). Related: Poached; poaching.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper