to poke
- verb
- /poʊk/
- We could see the tips of the pine and bamboo trees poking out from the lingering fog.
- poke a hole
- poke holes in carbon
So so the truth is, and this is where you poke poke the holes right.
- So so the truth is, and this is where you poke poke the holes right.
- Imagine that the stars are actually just little holes poked in our container.
- And I'm seeing some echeveria blooms poking up from this one.
- So this tree right here, it's like poking its little head round.
- They overturn rocks and, you know, poke things and generally create chaos at home.
- And then you can have the whole piece poke stick into your phone.
Examples
-
I felt like a water balloon with a hole poked in it
-
He decided to poke a hole in the ground to plant the seeds.
-
Take your kebab and poke it right here.
-
You almost poked the guy's eye out.
-
At times, it feels like her finger is poking right into me across the fire.
Academic text (1998) -
After he left, she picked up her rake and poked it around in the leaves.
Fiction book (1990) -
The baby went back to poking at the small dent he'd made in the ground.
Fiction book (1990) -
Be careful when you poke the cake to see if it's done; you don't want it to fall apart.
-
I used a stick to poke the fire and make it burn brighter.
Synonyms
To poke quickly and sharply with a finger, hand, or object
To make a small hole in something with a sharp point
Push gently at something or someone with a finger
To poke a person, animal, or object with a stick
Idioms
- Informal
To do something on purpose to make an angry or dangerous person react
- Informal
To buy something without checking it first and risk being cheated
- Informal
A joking way to say something is very unpleasant or painful
Phrasal Verbs
- Offensive
To make jokes about someone, sometimes to be playful and sometimes to be unkind
- Informal
To try to take part in other people's business without being asked
- Informal
Push someone's side with a finger to get their attention or make them laugh
Compounds
- US
A poisonous plant with large leaves and greenish yellow flower clusters that people use in traditional medicine
- Specialized
A quick push with a hockey stick that knocks the puck away from an opponent
A milkweed plant from eastern North America with white and green flowers that grows in shady woods
How Hard
Surface Forms
Etymology
Poke probably began as a short, sharp sound people copied to show a quick jab, so the verb is like a tiny, sudden 'push' or prod; think of a finger quickly 'poking' something to move it.