Poke — Defs

01 n. A large North American herb of the genus Phytolacca (Phytolacca decandra), bearing dark purple juicy berries; -- called also garget, pigeon…

1.
A large North American herb of the genus Phytolacca (Phytolacca 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.(Bot.) Also: garget, pigeon berry, pocan, pokeweed

02 n. A bag; a sack; a pocket.

Phrases & compounds

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

03 v. t. To thrust or push against or into with anything pointed; hence, to stir up; to excite; as, to poke a fire.

imp. & p. p. Poked; p. pr. & vb. n. Poking

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.
To put a poke on; as, to poke an ox.[Colloq. U. S.]

Phrases & compounds

To poke fun — to excite fun; to joke; to jest.

To poke fun at — to make a butt of; to ridicule.

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

1.
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.

05 n. The act of poking; a thrust; a jog; as, a poke in the ribs.

1.
The act of poking; a thrust; a jog; as, a poke in the ribs.
2.
A lazy person; a dawdler; also, a stupid or uninteresting person.[Slang, U.S.]
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.]

Phrases & compounds

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