/ ˈpɒkɪt; NAmE ˈpɑːk-/ noun , verb
■ noun
IN CLOTHING
1.
a small piece of material like a small bag sewn into or onto a piece of clothing so that you can carry things in it :
a coat pocket
I put the note in my pocket.
Turn out your pockets (= empty your pockets) .
Take your hands out of your pockets!
a pocket dictionary (= one that is small enough to fit in your pocket)
—picture at shorts
SMALL CONTAINER
2.
a small bag or container fastened to sth so that you can put things in it, for example, in a car door or in a bag :
Information about safety procedures is in the pocket in front of you (= on a plane) .
MONEY
3.
[ usually sing. ] used to talk about the amount of money that you have to spend :
We have holidays to suit every pocket .
He had no intention of paying for the meal out of his own pocket .
The Foundation is reputed to have very deep pockets (= to have a lot of money) .
SMALL GROUP / AREA
4.
a small group or area that is different from its surroundings :
There are still a few isolated pockets of resistance to the new regime.
a pocket of air
—see also air pocket
IN BILLIARDS, etc.
5.
any of the holes or nets around the edges of the table used in the games of billiards , pool or snooker , which you have to hit the ball into
•
IDIOMS
- be in sb's pocket
- be / live in each other's pockets
- have sb in your pocket
- have sth in your pocket
- in / out of pocket
—more at burn verb , dip verb , hand noun , line verb , pick verb
■ verb
[ vn ]
PUT INTO POCKET
1.
to put sth into your pocket :
She paid for the drink and pocketed the change without counting it.
MONEY
2.
to take or keep sth, especially an amount of money, that does not belong to you :
He regularly charges passengers more than the normal fare and pockets the difference.
3.
to earn or win an amount of money :
Last year, she pocketed over $1 million in advertising contracts.
IN BILLIARDS, etc.
4.
( in the games of billiards , pool and snooker ) to hit a ball into a pocket noun (5)
SYN pot
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense bag, sack , also used as a measure of quantity): from Anglo-Norman French poket(e) , diminutive of poke pouch. The verb dates from the late 16th cent.