poke

1 verb

1 WITH A FINGER/STICK ETC (T) to quickly push into something or someone with your finger, a stick, or something pointed: Andy poked the fish to see if it was still alive. | Be careful with that umbrella, or you'll poke someone in the eye.

2 THROUGH A SPACE/HOLE

a) (transitive always + adv/prep) to move or push something through a space or opening: He poked his hands deep into his pockets. | poke your head around the door/through the window etc: One of the nurses poked her head around the door.

b) BE SEEN (intransitive always + adv/prep) if something is poking through or out of something else, you can see part of it but not all of it: Ella looked at the tiny face poking out of the wool blanket. | Weeds had started poking through the cracks in the path.

3 poke a hole to make a hole or hollow area in something by pushing something pointed into or through it: Poke a hole in the dough and form it into a doughnut shape.

4 poke fun at make fun of someone in an unkind way: Some of the kids were poking fun at Judy because of the way she dressed.

5 poke your nose into informal to take an interest or get involved in someone else's private affairs: I don't want him poking his nose into our marriage.

6 poke the fire to move coal or wood in a fire with a stick to make it burn better

7 SEX (T) slang taboo to have sex with a woman

poke around/about phrasal verb (I) BrE informal

1 to look for something by moving a lot of things around: James began poking about in the cupboard, looking for the sugar.

2 to try to find out information about other people's private lives, business etc, in a way that annoys them: I don't want you poking around in my business.

poke at sth phrasal verb (T) to keep pushing something by making repeated movements with something pointed: He was poking at the dust with his stick, making little patterns. 2 noun

1 give sb/sth a poke to quickly push your fingers, a stick etc into something or someone: Vanessa gave me a poke in the ribs.

2 (C) AmE old-fashioned slang a wallet containing money