I. stoke /stəʊk $ stoʊk/ BrE AmE ( also stoke up ) verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Dutch ; Origin: stoken ]
1 . to add more coal or wood to a fire:
I stoked the furnace for the night.
2 . to cause something to increase:
Rising oil prices stoked inflation.
stoke fear/anger/envy etc
The scandal has stoked public outrage.
stoke up phrasal verb
1 . stoke something ↔ up to add more coal or wood to a fire:
We kept the fire stoked up high on cold nights.
2 . stoke up something if something stokes up fear, anger etc, it makes a lot of people feel frightened etc:
The leaflets stoked up fears of an invasion.
3 . stoke up on/with something to eat a lot of food, for example because you will not eat again for a long time:
We stoked up on hot soup before going out in the snow.
II. stoke up phrasal verb ( see also ↑ stoke )
1 . stoke something ↔ up to add more coal or wood to a fire:
We kept the fire stoked up high on cold nights.
2 . stoke up something if something stokes up fear, anger etc, it makes a lot of people feel frightened etc:
The leaflets stoked up fears of an invasion.
3 . stoke up on/with something to eat a lot of food, for example because you will not eat again for a long time:
We stoked up on hot soup before going out in the snow.