poke
v.v. to push your finger or a sharp object into something. You might do this to get someone's attention or to see if something is soft.
v. to prod or jab with a finger, a foot, or a pointed object. Often implies a quick, sharp movement intended to test a surface or alert a person.
She poked the cake to see if it was done.
He poked me in the arm to get my attention while I was reading.
The child poked a stick into the muddy bank, curious to see if any small creatures would emerge from the disturbed silt.
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.
From Middle English poke, from Anglo-Norman poke (whence pocket), from Frankish *poka. More at pocket. Doublet of pouch.
Clipping of pocan (“pokeweed”) or directly borrowed from Powhatan pocan. See pocan for more.
Borrowed from Hawaiian poke (literally “to cut crosswise into pieces”).
The verb is transitive and usually takes a direct object representing the person or thing being touched.
He poked to meHe poked mePoke is a transitive verb and does not require a preposition before the object.
- 01
pig in a poke
Something whose true value is concealed or unknown and may be lower than expected by the buyer or claimed by the seller, especially something offered for sale.
- 02
poke holes in
To criticize someone by finding flaws or weaknesses in their work or to criticize something by demonstrating that it is not correct.
- 03
poke one's nose into
Synonym of stick one's nose into.