poaching

[poh-ching]

noun

1. the illegal practice of trespassing on another's property to hunt or steal game without the landowner's permission.

2. any encroachment on another's property, rights, ideas, or the like.

Other Word Forms

• antipoaching adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of poaching¹

First recorded in 1605–15; poach ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

It intended a similar drastic shake-up to rugby, poaching top talent for a global short-form tournament.

From BBC

They later moved to the Central African Republic, where it is understood they engaged in poaching and illegal mining.

From BBC

Chelsea had long been one of top academy set-ups, capable of poaching talents through simply being one of the best funded.

From BBC

When rangers raided the farm, they discovered evidence of poaching activity and recovered a semi-automatic pistol.

From Los Angeles Times

Online scammers continue to dupe a majority of American adults as they infiltrate virtual calendars and security systems meant to defend users against the poaching of personal information.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• piracy 
• smuggling www.thesaurus.com
• trafficking