English Reference

Word

poaching

Phoneticspoach·ing

US/ˈpoʊtʃɪŋ/

UK/pˈəʊtʃɪŋ/

Definition

n. the illegal act of catching or killing animals, fish, or birds on someone else's land. It can also mean taking people or ideas from another company in an unfair way.

n. the illegal hunting, capturing, or harvesting of wild animals or plants, often in violation of conservation laws or property rights. In a business context, refers to the practice of enticing employees or clients away from a competitor.

Examples

“The park rangers are working hard to stop illegal poaching.”

“Strict laws were introduced to prevent the poaching of endangered rhinos for their horns.”

“While environmentalists focus on the poaching of rare species, corporate leaders are increasingly concerned about the aggressive poaching of top-tier software engineers by rival tech firms.”

Examples

simple

“The park rangers are working hard to stop illegal poaching.”

contextual

“Strict laws were introduced to prevent the poaching of endangered rhinos for their horns.”

complex

“While environmentalists focus on the poaching of rare species, corporate leaders are increasingly concerned about the aggressive poaching of top-tier software engineers by rival tech firms.”

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the activity in general; can take a prepositional phrase starting with 'of' to specify the target.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/poaching

English Reference