poke

poke

A n

1 (prod) coup m ; a poke in the eye lit un coup dans l'œil ; fig un camouflet ; to give the fire a poke tisonner le feu ;

2 (punch) coup m de poing ; to take a poke at sb lit envoyer un coup de poing à qn ; fig envoyer une pierre dans le jardin de qn ;

3 ● (sex) coup ● m ; to have a poke tirer un coup ● .

B vtr

1 (jab, prod) pousser [person] ; donner un coup dans [pile, substance] ; tisonner [fire] to poke sb in the ribs/the eye donner un coup dans les côtes/l'œil de qn ; to poke oneself in the eye with a pencil se mettre un crayon dans l'œil ; he poked his food with his fork il inspecta le contenu de son assiette avec sa fourchette ;

2 (push, put) to poke sth into enfoncer qch dans [hole, pot] ; to poke one's finger into a hole/pot mettre le doigt dans un trou/pot ; to poke one's finger up one's nose se mettre le doigt dans le nez ; to poke one's head round the door/out of the window passer la tête par la porte/par la fenêtre ; to poke food through the bars passer de la nourriture à travers les barreaux ;

3 (pierce) to poke a hole in sth percer qch, faire un trou dans qch (with avec).

C vi ⇒ poke at, poke out, poke up.

Idiom

it's better than a poke in the eye (with a sharp stick) c'est mieux que rien.

Phrasal verbs

■ poke around, poke about GB fouiner, farfouiller (in dans ; for pour trouver).

■ poke at :

▶ poke at [sth] chipoter devant [food, plate].

■ poke out :

▶ poke out [elbow, toe, blade, spring] dépasser ; [flower] poindre ; to poke out through [spring, stuffing] dépasser [hole, old mattress] ; [flower] poindre à travers [snow, rubble] ; to poke out from under dépasser de dessous [bed, covers] ;

▶ to poke out [sth], to poke [sth] out sortir [head, nose, tongue] ; to poke sb's eye out crever l'œil de qn.

■ poke up [flower, shoot] poindre (through à travers).

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.