poke

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈpōk 

1

chiefly Southern US and Midland US : bag, sack

2

a

: wallet

b

: purse

poke

2 of 5

verb

poked; poking

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: prod, jab

poked him in the ribs

(2)

: to urge or stir by prodding or jabbing

poked and scolded by the old folks

—Upton Sinclair

(3)

: to cause to prod : thrust

poked a stick at the snake

b(1)

: pierce, stab

(2)

: to produce by or as if by piercing, stabbing, or jabbing

poke a hole

poked holes in his heavily footnoted argument

—David Stoll

c(1)

: hit, punch

poked him in the nose

(2)

: to deliver (a blow) with the fist

(3)

: to hit (a blooper) in baseball

2

a

: to cause to project

poked her head out of the window

b

: to make (one's way) by poking

poked his way through the ruins

c

: to interpose or interject in a meddlesome manner

asked him not to poke his nose into other people's business

intransitive verb

1

a

: to make a prodding, jabbing, or thrusting movement especially repeatedly

b

: to strike out at something

2

a

: to look about or through something without system : rummage

poking around in the attic

b

: meddle

3

: to move or act slowly or aimlessly

just poked around and didn't accomplish much

4

: to become stuck out or forward : protrude

poke

3 of 5

noun (2)

1

a

: a quick thrust : jab

b

: a blow with the fist : punch

2

: a projecting brim on the front of a woman's bonnet

3

: a cutting remark : dig

poke

4 of 5

noun (3)

: pokeweed

poke

5 of 5

noun (4)

po·​ke ˌpō-ˈkā 

variants or less commonly poké

: a Hawaiian salad made typically from cubed pieces of raw seafood (such as tuna) marinated with soy sauce and sesame oil and mixed with onions or other ingredients

While Poke Hut will serve burritos, its specialty is poke bowls. Bases include sushi rice or greens, and from there customers choose a protein like raw or marinated tuna or salmon.

—Andy Brownfield

Phrases

poke fun at

: ridicule, mock

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• bag
• pouch
• sack

Verb

• bag
• balloon
• beetle
• belly
• billow
• bulge
• bunch
• jut
• overhang
• pooch [chiefly dialect]
• pouch
• pout
• project
• protrude
• stand out
• start
• stick out
• swell

Noun (2)

• dab
• dig
• jab
• lunge

Examples of poke in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the old warning against buying a pig in a poke

Verb

I accidentally poked my finger right through the old fabric.

Throwing pencils is not allowed because someone's eye could get poked out.

Noun (2)

please stop giving the cat pokes while it's trying to sleep

you'd better shut up if you don't want a poke on the nose

the constantly bickering husband and wife seem unable to let five minutes pass without an exchange of gratuitous pokes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As fall deepens, common colds and the flu are spreading, but one poke can help protect your health. —Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 28 Oct. 2024

Hadley was even penalized a point during the fight for two eye pokes. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024

Verb

This cute sweatshirt pokes fun at the sport’s quirky name with a watercolor print of two pickles playing pickleball. —Cai Cramer, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024

Cleavage forming, hormones erupting, hair poking through in what feels like strange places and wanting to dance on the peripherals of sexiness. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French — more at pocket

Verb

Middle English; akin to Middle Dutch poken to poke

Noun (3)

perhaps modification of Virginia Algonquian pocone, poughkone puccoon

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Noun (2)

1690, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (3)

1708, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1977, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing poke

• a pig in a poke
• pig in a poke
• poke about
• poke along
• poke around
• poke fun at
• stick and poke
• stick/poke one's nose in/into

Kids Definition

poke

1 of 3 noun

ˈpōk 

chiefly Southern & Midland

: bag entry 1 sense 1a, sack

poke

2 of 3 verb

poked; poking

1

a

: jab, prod

poke a stick at a snake

poked me in the ribs

b

: thrust entry 1 sense 2, stab

c

: to produce by piercing, stabbing, or jabbing

poke a hole

2

: to stick out or cause to stick out

poked her head out the window

3

: to be nosy especially about things that do not concern one

4

: to search over or through usually without purpose : rummage

poking around in the attic

5

: to move slowly or lazily

they were just poking along home

poke

3 of 3 noun

: a quick thrust : jab

Etymology

Noun

Middle English poke "bag, sack," from an early French dialect word poke (same meaning)

Verb

Middle English poken "to jab, prod"