Poke

Poke (pōk), n. (Bot.) A large North American herb of the genus Phytolacca (P. decandra), bearing dark purple juicy berries; — called also garget, pigeon berry, pocan, and pokeweed. The root and berries have emetic and purgative properties, and are used in medicine. The young shoots are sometimes eaten as a substitute for asparagus, and the berries are said to be used in Europe to color wine.

Poke, n. [AS. poca, poha, pohha; akin to Icel. poki, OD. poke, and perh. to E. pock; cf. also Gael. poca, and OF. poque. Cf. Pock, Pocket, Pouch.] 1. A bag; a sack; a pocket. "He drew a dial from his poke." Shak.

They wallowed as pigs in a poke. Chaucer.

2. A long, wide sleeve; — called also poke sleeve.

To boy a pig a poke (that is, in a bag), to buy a thing without knowledge or examination of it. Camden.

Poke, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poked; p. pr. & vb. n. Poking.] [Cf. LG. poken to prick, pierce, thrust, pok a dagger, knife, D. pook, G. pocken to beat, also Ir. poc a blow, Gael. puc to push.] 1. To thrust or push against or into with anything pointed; hence, to stir up; to excite; as, to poke a fire.

He poked John, and said "Sleepest thou ?" Chaucer.

2. To thrust with the horns; to gore.

3. [From 5th Poke, 3.] To put a poke on; as, to poke an ox. [Colloq. U. S.]

To poke fun, to excite fun; to joke; to jest. [Colloq.] — To poke fun at, to make a butt of; to ridicule. [Colloq.]

Poke, v. i. To search; to feel one's way, as in the dark; to grope; as, to poke about.

A man must have poked into Latin and Greek. Prior.

Poke, n. 1. The act of poking; a thrust; a jog; as, a poke in the ribs. Ld. Lytton.

2. A lazy person; a dawdler; also, a stupid or uninteresting person. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.

3. A contrivance to prevent an animal from leaping or breaking through fences. It consists of a yoke with a pole inserted, pointed forward. [U.S.]

Poke bonnet, a bonnet with a straight, projecting front.