# stoke

/ˈstoʊk/ (US) · /stˈəʊk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stoke
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to feed a fire

verb · CEFR B2

to add coal or wood to a fire or furnace so that it stays hot.

For teachers: to feed or stir up a fire or furnace by adding fuel. Transitive when referring to the fire itself; intransitive when referring to the act of working as a stoker.

- The worker had to stoke the furnace every hour to keep the factory warm.
- Throughout the night, the engineer continued to stoke the boiler, ensuring the steam pressure remained high enough for the ship to maintain its speed.

### 2. to encourage an emotion

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make a feeling, like anger or excitement, much stronger.

For teachers: to incite or encourage a specific behaviour or emotion, often in a public or political context.

- The politician's speech was designed to stoke fears about the economy.
- The controversial article served only to stoke the fires of public resentment, leading to widespread protests across the capital.

### 3. to poke or thrust

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to poke or push something sharply.

For teachers: to poke, pierce, or thrust. This sense is largely restricted to historical contexts or specific dialects.

- The knight used his spear to stoke at the shield of his opponent.
- In the ancient manuscript, the author describes how the hunters would stoke the beast with sharpened poles to drive it toward the trap.

## Examples

- He used a long metal rod to stoke the fire.
- The politician's controversial comments served only to stoke the anger of the protesters.
- By leaking the confidential documents, the whistleblower intended to stoke public debate regarding the ethics of the surveillance program.

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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.