poke

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A poke is when you use your finger or an object to gently dig into something, like food.

When people talk about poking around, they mean looking through things casually, not really paying close attention. Imagine you're rummaging through a cluttered drawer trying to find a specific item – that's what it means to poke around in this context. It can also mean to explore or investigate something, often with curiosity but not necessarily with great care. For example, "I poked around the new store" could mean I browsed its shelves without really looking for anything specific.

How common is "poke"?

Word poke is considered uncommon in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

verb

To prod or jab with an object such as a finger or a stick.
To stir up a fire to remove ash or promote burning.
(figuratively) To rummage; to feel or grope around.
Example: I poked about in the rubble, trying to find my lost keys.
(transitive, computing, dated) To modify the value stored in (a memory address).
(transitive) To put a poke (device to prevent leaping or breaking fences) on (an animal).
Example: to poke an ox
(transitive) To thrust at with the horns; to gore.
(transitive, informal, social media) To notify (another user) of activity on social media or an instant messenger.
(transitive) To thrust (something) in a particular direction such as the tongue.
(transitive, slang, vulgar) To penetrate in sexual intercourse.