# poach

/ˈpoʊtʃ/ (US) · /pˈəʊtʃ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/poach
Updated: 2026-10-17

## Definition

to cook food gently in a liquid that is just below boiling, or to hunt animals illegally on someone else's land. You can also use it when a company takes a talented worker from another business.

For teachers: to cook food submerged in a liquid kept just below the boiling point; to hunt or fish illegally on private or protected land. In a business context, it describes the act of enticing employees or customers away from a competitor.

## Examples

- She likes to poach eggs for breakfast every Sunday.
- The restaurant was caught trying to poach the head chef from their main rival across the street.
- While the chef was busy learning how to poach salmon in white wine, the local authorities were investigating reports of individuals trying to poach deer from the national park.

## Pitfalls

- Not "he poached for the eggs" but "he poached the eggs" — When used for cooking, poach is a transitive verb and does not require a preposition before the object.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive when referring to cooking or illegal hunting; it can be intransitive when referring to the general activity of illegal hunting.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.