ENGLISH
REFERENCE

poke

v. · n.
US //ˈpoʊk// UK //pˈəʊk// poke
  1. 1 to prod or jab (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to push your finger or a pointed object into something.

    to prod or jab someone or something with a finger, stick, or other pointed object. Transitive, though often used with 'at'.

    Example

    The child began to poke the sleeping dog with a small stick.

    Example

    He used a long iron rod to poke the embers of the campfire, hoping to revive the flame before the temperature dropped further.
  2. 2 to stick out (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to push something through an opening or in a certain direction.

    to thrust or push something in a specific direction so that it emerges from an opening or surface.

    Example

    The puppy liked to poke its head through the fence to watch the cars.

    Example

    She carefully poked her needle through the thick fabric, trying not to disturb the delicate embroidery already in place.
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  1. 3 social media (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal Computing

    to send a small notification to someone on a social media site to get their attention.

    to send a digital notification to another user on a social networking platform as a casual greeting or attention-seeking gesture.

    Example

    I haven't spoken to him in years, but he poked me on Facebook yesterday.

    Example

    The platform's 'poke' feature, once a primary method of interaction, has largely been superseded by more direct messaging tools.
  2. 4 to modify memory (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Archaic Computing

    to change a specific piece of information in a computer's memory.

    to modify the value stored in a specific memory address, often used in the context of legacy programming or game hacking.

    Example

    In the old game, you could poke a memory address to get infinite lives.

    Example

    The programmer used a POKE command to bypass the hardware's color limitations, a common technique in 8-bit software development.
  3. 5 a physical prod (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a quick push with a finger or a stick.

    a physical act of prodding or jabbing.

    Example

    She gave him a sharp poke in the ribs to make him stop snoring.

    Example

    A gentle poke with the umbrella was enough to determine that the mysterious object in the grass was merely a discarded plastic bag.
  4. 6 fish salad (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

    a Hawaiian dish made of pieces of raw fish mixed with oil and spices.

    a traditional Hawaiian dish consisting of diced raw fish, typically tuna, marinated in sesame oil, soy sauce, and various seasonings.

    Example

    We went to a small restaurant by the beach for a fresh tuna poke bowl.

    Example

    The chef's modern interpretation of poke included unconventional ingredients like avocado and spicy mayo, reflecting the dish's global popularity.

  5. 7 a bag (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Dialect

    a small bag or sack.

    a bag or sack, surviving primarily in the idiom 'a pig in a poke'.

    Example

    The old man carried his groceries in a small paper poke.

    Example

    Buying a used car without a mechanic's inspection is like buying a pig in a poke; you never truly know what you are getting.
  6. 8 sexual intercourse (v.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Vulgar

    a very rude word for having sex.

    to engage in sexual intercourse. Transitive; highly informal and potentially offensive.

    Example

    He was bragging about who he managed to poke over the weekend.

    Example

    The film was criticized for its reliance on crude humor, including several unnecessary references to poking.
Etymology 1

From Middle English poken, perhaps from Middle Dutch poken or Middle Low German poken, both from Proto-West Germanic pukōn or similar, which is itself of uncertain origin, but may be from an imitative Proto-Germanic root puk-. Doublet of poach.

Etymology 2

From Middle English poke, from Anglo-Norman poke (whence pocket), from Frankish *poka. More at pocket. Doublet of pouch.

Etymology 3

Clipping of pocan (“pokeweed”) or directly borrowed from Powhatan pocan. See pocan for more.

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Hawaiian poke (literally “to cut crosswise into pieces”).

Word family
Idioms5 entries

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