poached; poaching; poaches
: to cook in simmering liquid
poached; poaching; poaches
1
: to encroach upon especially for the purpose of taking something
2
: to trespass for the purpose of stealing game
also
: to take game or fish illegally
1
: to trespass on
a field poached too frequently by the amateur—
The Times Literary Supplement (London)
The Times Literary Supplement (London)2
a
: to take (game or fish) by illegal methods
b
: to appropriate (something) as one's own
c
: to attract (someone, such as an employee or customer) away from a competitor
Examples of poach in a Sentence
Verb (1)
poaching fish in a stock flavored with white wine
Recent Examples on the Web
Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
Sixth course: Bourbon and star anise poached pear compote with vanilla bean and rosewater ice cream, cookie crumbs, mint and orange zest.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 4 Nov. 2024
After poaching 3-and-D veteran shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Denver Nuggets in free agency this offseason, the Magic appeared poised to take the next evolutionary jump in a crowded East this year.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Around 300 cheetahs cubs are poached and trafficked every year.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poach 
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Verb
In the face of poaching, habitat loss and climate change, the agency proposes listing three subspecies of northern giraffes from west, central and east Africa as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
—Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
Sixth course: Bourbon and star anise poached pear compote with vanilla bean and rosewater ice cream, cookie crumbs, mint and orange zest.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 4 Nov. 2024
After poaching 3-and-D veteran shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from the Denver Nuggets in free agency this offseason, the Magic appeared poised to take the next evolutionary jump in a crowded East this year.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Around 300 cheetahs cubs are poached and trafficked every year.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poach
Dictionary Entries Near poach
Cite this Entry
“Poach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poach. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
poach
1 of 2 verb
: to cook in simmering liquid
poached eggs
poach
2 of 2 verb
: to hunt or fish unlawfully
poacher
noun
Etymology
Verb
Middle English pochen "to boil an egg without its shell so that the white covers the yolk like a bag," from early French pocher (same meaning), from earlier pochier, literally, "to put into a bag," from poche "bag, pocket"
Verb
from early French pocher "to hunt or fish unlawfully"
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