poke

¹

[pohk]

verb (used with object)

poked, poking 

1. to prod or push, especially with something narrow or pointed, such as a finger, elbow, stick, etc..

   He was asleep until she poked him in the ribs.

2. to make (a hole, one's way, etc.) by or as by prodding or pushing.

   The branch poked a hole in my sweater.

   It was a difficult trek, as he had to poke his way slowly through the underbrush.

3. to thrust or push.

   She poked her head out of the window.

4. to force, drive, or stir by or as by pushing or thrusting.

   He poked the fire up.

5. to thrust obtrusively.

   The prosecutor kept poking his finger at the defendant.

verb (used without object)

poked, poking 

1. to make a pushing or thrusting movement with the finger, a stick, etc..

   Angle the needle and poke hard, and it should get through the fabric.

2. to extend or project (often followed byout ).

   His handkerchief is poking out of his back pocket.

3. to thrust oneself obtrusively.

   It's dangerous to poke into something that's none of your business.

4. to search curiously; pry (often followed by around orabout ).

   When working airport security, you often have to poke around in other people's stuff.

5. to go or proceed in a slow or aimless way (often followed byalong ).

   We spent a while poking along at 5 mph while the traffic jam cleared.

noun

1. a thrust or push.

   She gave the cake a poke with a toothpick to see if it was done.

2. Informal.,  a slow or dawdling person; slowpoke.

poke

²

[pohk]

noun

1. Chiefly Midland U.S. and Scot..,  a bag or sack, especially a small one.

2. a wallet or purse.

3. Archaic.,  a pocket.

poke

³

[pohk]

noun

1. a projecting brim at the front of a bonnet, framing the face.

2. Also called poke bonnet. a bonnet or hat with such a brim.

poke

⁴

[pohk]

noun

1. pokeweed.

poke

⁵

[poh-key]

noun

1. a Hawaiian salad of cubed raw tuna mixed with diced sweet onion and scallion and marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil.

poke

¹

/ pəʊk /

verb

1. (tr) to jab or prod, as with the elbow, the finger, a stick, etc

2. (tr) to make (a hole, opening, etc) by or as by poking

3. to thrust (at)

4. informal,  (tr) to hit with the fist; punch

5. to protrude or cause to protrude

   don't poke your arm out of the window

6. (tr) to stir (a fire, pot, etc) by poking

7. (intr) to meddle or intrude

8. (intr; often foll by about or around) to search or pry

9. to loiter, potter, dawdle, etc

10. slang,  (tr) (of a man) to have sexual intercourse with

11. to mock or ridicule

12. See nose

noun

1. a jab or prod

2. short for slowpoke

3. informal,  a blow with one's fist; punch

4. slang,  sexual intercourse

poke

²

/ pəʊk /

noun

1. dialect,  a pocket or bag

2. See pig

poke

³

/ pəʊk /

noun

1. Also called: poke bonnet. a woman's bonnet with a brim that projects at the front, popular in the 18th and 19th centuries

2. the brim itself

poke

⁴

/ pəʊk /

noun

1. short for pokeweed

Other Word Forms

• pokable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of poke¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German poken “to thrust, stick with a knife”; poach ²

Origin of poke²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Middle Dutch, whence also Old North French poque, French poche “bag, pocket”; poach ¹, pocket, pouch

Origin of poke³

First recorded in 1760–70; apparently special use of poke ¹

Origin of poke⁴

First recorded in 1590–1600; perhaps shortening of obsolete pocan “pokeweed,” perhaps variant of puccoon (pokeberries and puccoon roots were both sources of red dye)

Origin of poke⁵

First recorded in 1975–80; from Hawaian: literally, “to slice crosswise, section, a section”

Word History and Origins

Origin of poke¹

C14: from Low German and Middle Dutch poken to thrust, prod, strike

Origin of poke²

C13: from Old Northern French poque, of Germanic origin; related to Old English pocca bag, Old Norse poki _pouch , Middle Dutch poke bag; compare _poach ²

Origin of poke³

C18: from _poke ¹ (in the sense: to thrust out, project)

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. poke one's nose into, to meddle in; pry into.

   We felt as if half the people in town were poking their noses into our lives.

2. poke fun at, to ridicule or mock, especially covertly or slyly.

   In her novel, she pokes fun at her ex-husband.

More idioms and phrases containing poke

• make fun of (poke fun at)
• pig in a poke
• take a poke at

Example Sentences

I slowly unzipped the tent door, poked my head out and saw it: a lone bison head-butting a picnic table, lifting one end into the air with alarming ease.

From Los Angeles Times

Over the weekend, the “Candy Shop” musician poked fun at an upcoming speaking engagement that Combs had scheduled before his sentencing, joking that he’s open to take the spot.

From Los Angeles Times

He moved seamlessly from absurdist humor to self-aware satire, poking fun at fame, fandom and politics without ever losing his ease.

From Salon

It has perhaps been a stick poked at City in previous seasons - that they don't have the bite or ruthlessness of six-time successive champions Chelsea.

From BBC

The chimp took a twig, bent and stripped it of its leaves, then he poked it into a termite's nest.

From BBC

Related Words

• dig 
• jab 
• nudge 
• prod 
• protrude 
• punch 
• shove 
• stab 
• stick 
• stick out