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POKING
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)
Example:
he made a thrusting motion with his fist
Synonyms:
jab; jabbing; poke; poking; thrust; thrusting
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("poking" is a kind of...):
gesture (motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling)
Derivation:
poke (poke or thrust abruptly)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
-ing form of the verb poke
Context examples:
Very well satisfied with the dreamy nature of this retreat, I informed Mr. Spenlow that I had seen enough for that time, and we rejoined my aunt; in company with whom I presently departed from the Commons, feeling very young when I went out of Spenlow and Jorkins's, on account of the clerks poking one another with their pens to point me out.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
By your dress you should be one of those cursed clerks who overrun the land like vile rats, poking and prying into other men's concerns, too caitiff to fight and too lazy to work.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
We had a charming time poking about the ruins, the vaults where the monster tun is, and the beautiful gardens made by the elector long ago for his English wife.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
An hour later he decided that Brissenden was a boor as well, what of the way he prowled about from one room to another, staring at the pictures or poking his nose into books and magazines he picked up from the table or drew from the shelves.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
"Here's a sweet prospect!" muttered Jo, slamming the stove door open, and poking vigorously among the cinders.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
No more than I expected, if you are allowed to go poking about among poor folks.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
Why Mr. March paused a minute just there, and after a glance at Meg, who was violently poking the fire, looked at his wife with an inquiring lift of the eyebrows, I leave you to imagine.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
One small child was poking turtles with Amy's cherished parasol, a second was eating gingerbread over Jo's best bonnet, and a third playing ball with her gloves, but all were enjoying themselves, and when Jo collected her damaged property to go, her escort accompanied her, begging her to come again, It was such fun to hear about Laurie's larks.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
