v. & n.
v. 1 (foll. by in, up, down, etc.) a tr. thrust or push with the hand, point of a stick, etc. b intr. be thrust forward. 2 intr. (foll. by at etc.) make thrusts with a stick etc. 3 tr. thrust the end of a finger etc. against. 4 tr. (foll. by in) produce (a hole etc. in a thing) by poking. 5 tr. thrust forward, esp. obtrusively. 6 tr. stir (a fire) with a poker. 7 intr. a (often foll. by about, around) move or act desultorily; potter. b (foll. by about, into) pry; search casually. 8 tr. coarse sl. have sexual intercourse with. 9 tr. (foll. by up) colloq. confine (esp. oneself) in a poky place.
n. 1 the act or an instance of poking. 2 a thrust or nudge. 3 a device fastened on cattle etc. to prevent them breaking through fences. 4 a a projecting brim or front of a woman's bonnet or hat. b (in full poke-bonnet) a bonnet having this. poke fun at ridicule, tease. poke one's nose into colloq. pry or intrude into (esp. a person's affairs).
[ ME f. MDu. and MLG poken, of unkn. orig. ]