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poke

poke

1 8.6
A person who moves slowly and falls behind others
  • noun
  • /poʊk/
  • Informal
translation icon : rezagado
  • Don't be an old poke.
  • a slow poke

Examples

  • But the same can be said of other cyclists passing me (I'm a slow-poke); only maybe 10% give me any warning.

    Blog text (25)
  • Old poke.

  • But this will still be the slow poke in converging.

  • Old poke.

  • - Slow pokes.

  • Jeez, slow poke.

  • By now, he must have had too many promising thoroughbreds in his stable to bother with a slow-poke plug like myself.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • He slowed from his trot-and-shuffle to a half-assed poke-along and then walked from the corner to the fence that separates his father's yard from hers, and she stepped from the shadows between the two houses.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • I often find myself behind a slow poke at the grocery store, taking forever to check out.

  • The race was exciting, but I finished last because I was such a slow poke on the track.

Synonyms

drone
vspoke
  • Offensive
43 7.6

A person who works slowly and avoids effort

describes slowness or falling behind without implying laziness
slowpoke
vspoke
  • Offensive
5 6.8

A person who does things more slowly than other people

is about falling behind others rather than only slow action
laggard
vspoke
4 8.1

A person or thing that is slower than others and falls behind

describes mere slowness or lag without stressing progress rate
lagger
vspoke
1 8.1

A person who falls behind others because they are slower

emphasizes general slowness rather than only falling behind
slowcoach
vspoke
  • Offensive
1 8.4

A person who takes a long time to do things and makes others wait

covers slow behaviour generally rather than causing group delay
dawdler
vspoke
1 7.1

A person who moves slowly and wastes time

focuses on being late or lagging rather than time wasting
dillydallier
vspoke
  • Informal
8.6

A person who wastes time by being slow to act or decide

is the broader idea of being slow without active wasting
dilly-dallier
vspoke
  • Informal
9.7

A person who delays decisions and wastes time

is about being slow or falling behind rather than indecision
incher
vspoke
  • Informal
9.9

A person who moves forward very slowly, one small step at a time

relates to general slowness and lag rather than tiny advances

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 Slow

straggler
22 4.3
laggard
4 8.1
poke
  • Informal
1 8.6
dawdler
1 7.1

Surface Forms

poke singular
pokes plural

Etymology

Poke for a slow person is old slang and may come from the word poky ('slow' or cramped); a helpful way to remember it is to picture someone moving as if stuck in a small space, so they lag behind.