poke

¹

[ pohk ]

verb (used with object)

, poked, pok·ing.

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, pok·ing.

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 by out ):

   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 or about ):

   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 by along ):

   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 bonnet. 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 /

noun

1. Also calledpoke 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

²

/ pəʊk /

noun

1. dialect.
   a pocket or bag
2. a pig in a poke
   See pig

poke

³

/ pəʊk /

noun

1. short for pokeweed

poke

⁴

/ 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. whenintr, often foll by at to thrust (at)
4. informal.
   tr to hit with the fist; punch
5. usually foll byin, out, out of, through, etc 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. introften foll byalong to loiter, potter, dawdle, etc
10. slang.
    tr (of a man) to have sexual intercourse with
11. poke fun at
    to mock or ridicule
12. poke one's nose into
    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

Other Words From

• pok·a·ble 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

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

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

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

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

2. poke one's nose into, Informal. to meddle in; pry into:

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

More idioms and phrases containing poke

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

Example Sentences

Just a poke, a tiny jab, a brief ouch, and you have your opinions about it.

From Washington Blade

The last time we would board an airplane, breathe other people’s air, stand close enough to catch the sharp poke of an elbow while someone tried to stuff luggage wheels-out in the overhead bin.

From Time

After a few warm-up pokes, a veterinarian injected the vaccine.

From Washington Post

They get a full spread of poke, prawns, locally caught fish and kalua pork served on their balcony.

From Washington Post

The test is still the same — a PCR test that involves a five-second swab in each nostril, not a deep poke back toward the brain.

From Washington Post

These tests prod and poke the children, creating lots of anxiety and taking away from the joy of learning.

From The Daily Beast

People online have been attempting to poke holes in the science of Interstellar.

From The Daily Beast

As that clip played, Camille leaned over and gave her husband a playful poke in the ribs.

From The Daily Beast

But when the pageant itself starts to poke fun at the contestants, organizers should expect that they will lose all credibility.

From The Daily Beast

Lately, Richard Dawkins seems to scan the world for sore spots, take a good poke, and revel in the ensuing outcry.

From The Daily Beast

She wore an old poke bonnet and carried a crooked stick, and there seemed to be a hump upon her back.

From Project Gutenberg

The hump-backed little figure with poke-bonnet and cane was chased out upon the broken landing.

From Project Gutenberg

"Mr. Mudge requires no hat where he is now," continued the doctor, stooping to poke the fire.

From Project Gutenberg

Whenever a potato lit up dangerously she gave it a poke into a new position.

From Project Gutenberg

Because it's so much pleasanter, in a small library like this, to poke about by one's self—with the help of the librarian.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• jab