Sekirov Dictionary

poach

/ˈpoʊt͡ʃ/

verb 10
noun 2
forms 3
phrases 1

verb10

To cook (something) in simmering or very hot liquid (usually water; sometimes wine, broth, or otherwise).
•
To be cooked in such manner.
- The white of an egg with spirit of wine, doth bake the egg into clots, as if it began to poach. — 1627
To trespass on another's property to take fish or game.
To take game or fish illegally.
•
To take anything illegally or unfairly.
- Chelsea's embarrassment was symbolised by Ross Barkley's inexplicable header straight to the feet of Aguero to poach his second and Ilkay Gundogan capped that early blitz with a low drive. — 2019
•
To entice (an employee or customer) to switch from a competing company to one's own.
- What's going on here? Are you trying to poach my teamaker? — 2006
•
(figurative) To intrude; to interfere; to get involved inappropriately, without welcome.
- to poach in foreign academic disciplines
•
To make soft or muddy by trampling.
- Cattle coming to drink had punched and poached the river bank into a mess of mud.
•
To become soft or muddy by being trampled on.
- Chalky and clay lands […] chap in summer, and poach in winter. — 1707
•
(no longer used) To stab; to pierce; to spear or drive or plunge into something.
- They vse also to poche them with an instrument somewhat like the Sammon-speare — 1609

noun2

•
The act of cooking in simmering liquid.
- Peaches are so perfect they need very little to make them extra special—just a quick poach in basil-scented rosé wine and a few adoring strawberries. — 2005
The act of taking something unfairly, as in tennis doubles where one player returns a shot that their partner was better placed to return.

forms

poached · poaching · poaches

Phrases with poach

poach up
To cook (something) by poaching.

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