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poke

poke

5 6.5
A quick hit with the fist
  • noun
  • /poʊk/
  • Informal
translation icon : puñetazo
  • Wanna take a poke at me?
  • take a poke
  • give a poke
  • get a poke

Examples

Synonyms

punch
vspoke
321 1.0

A strong hit with a closed fist used in fighting

is informal and denotes a simple fist blow rather than the formal boxing term
lick
vspoke
  • Informal
33 8.2

A hard hit that someone gives with the fist

is the informal term stressing a fist blow rather than unspecified force
biff
vspoke
  • Informal
14 9.3

A hard hit with the fist, often in a fight

is similar but often lighter and less forceful in impact
wallop
vspoke
  • Informal
3 6.7

A very hard blow that hurts someone

is commonly less extreme naming a simple fist blow not heavy
slug
vspoke
  • Informal
1 6.3

A hard hit that strikes someone with the fist

is usually milder and less heavy than this forceful strike
clout
vspoke
  • Informal
1 6.9

A hard hit made with the fist

is more casual and general focusing on a basic fist hit

Antonyms

89 2.0

An action in sport that stops another player from moving

Idioms

to poke the bear
  • Informal
3 8.4

To do something on purpose to make an angry or dangerous person react

1 7.9

Hurt someone's eye by hitting it with a sharp object

1 9.9

To buy something without checking it first and risk being cheated

A joking way to say something is very unpleasant or painful

Compounds

9.9

A poisonous plant with large leaves and greenish yellow flower clusters that people use in traditional medicine

Indian poke
  • Indian
9.9

A plant from southeast Asia and China that has berries that can be poisonous

poke bonnet
  • Archaic
9.9

A woman's hat with a wide brim at the front that ties under the chin

poke check
  • Specialized
8.2

A quick push with a hockey stick that knocks the puck away from an opponent

9.5

A milkweed plant from eastern North America with white and green flowers that grows in shady woods

How Forceful

haymaker
  • Jargon
3 8.1
punch
321 1.0
thump
49 3.0
poke
  • Informal
5 6.5
tap
66 1.0

Surface Forms

poke singular
pokes plural

Etymology

Poke for a small punch comes from the basic sense of a quick push or jab, so calling a blow a 'poke' paints it as a short, sharp hit rather than a long attack.