poke
.
Searchable Lemmata: poki (Norse), poke (AF), poke (ME), poca (L), pocus (L), poka (L), póca (Ir), poke (OScots), poke (MdE).
Alternate Forms: poc, pok, pokam, pokez, pokis, pokus, pooke, pokys, puc, puke.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1a(n.)
Accessory;
sack, bag or pouch. In many instances used to refer to a measure of quantity (of wool, etc.; distinguished from a 'sack'; frequently standardised, as in Pet.Hen.VI in Archaeol.Ael.n.s.3). Cognate with OE pohha (see pough). Ir: A pouch or bag. Likely borrowed from French or Latin. DIL suggests the borrowing is from ON. Cleasby Vigfassun suggests poki from French [???].(ante 1230 still in current use)
1. quater viginti et duodecim sacci et quatuor puke lane mercatorum Flandr' detenti sunt apud Winchels'
Legal.
[DMLBS Cl (475) 1242]
6. [460] ... pro ... ij barellis, ij pokis, ij balis cum vc pellibus cuniculorum ... [470] ... pro ... v dossenis pellium ovinarum ... , v dossenis forpicium et xviij cornuum
Accounts.
[DMLBS EEC (460-470) 1421]
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1b(n.)
Accessory;
bag shape or puffed-out protuberance in a cloth garment; refers to the bag-shaped, 'bagpipe' or bombard sleeve, occasionally referred to as a 'poky sleeve', with the opening sewn up to the wrist, like a bag, which could in fact be used as a bag. This fashion became especially popular during Henry VI's reign.(circa 1400 - post 1450)
3. ITEM [10] it is ſtatut þt na ȝemā na common to landart' wer hewyt clathes ſiddar na þe kne na ȝit ragyt clathes bot allan’ly centynal ȝemen in lord' houſis at rid' wt gentill mē þar maſt’is þe quhilk' ſal haf narow ſlewis 7 litil pok' 7 ryt ſa þt þe cōmōis wif' ... wer nouþ’ lang taił na ſyde nekit hud' na pok' on þar ſlef' na coſtly curches as lawñ or rynß 7 all gēntill mēis wif' be not arayit excedand þe eſtate of þar huſband'
ITEM Be þe awyß of þe haill p[ar]liamēt it is ſtatute and ordanit þat ilk man þat may diſpende ȝerly xx liƀ or at has jc liƀ in movabil gud' þat he be wele horſit 7 haill enarmyt as a gēntill mā aucht to be And vþ’ ſympillar of x liƀ of rent or l liƀ in gud' haif hat gorgeat or peſañe with rerebraſar' vambraſar' 7 gluff' of plate breſt plat panß 7 legſplent' at þe leſt or bett’ gif him lik'
ITEM þt ilk ȝemañ þat is of xx liƀ in gud' haif a gude doublat of fence or ane habergeoñ ane yrn hat witħ bow and ſchefe ſuerde buklar 7 knyfe And all vþ’ ȝemeñ of x liƀ in gud' hif bow and ſchefe ſuerde and buklar and knyff And þe ȝemā þat is nane archer na can not deyll witħ a bow ſall haif a gude ſou’ hat for his hede 7 a doublat of fence witħ ſuerde 7 buklar 7 a gude ax or ell' a brogit ſtaff
Legal.
[LexP Acts Parl. Scot. (II: 18-19, items 10-12) 1429]
4. [63] ... Summe men y saw ... with mo iagges on here clothis than hole clothe ... and y saw the iagges ... turne al to addres ... I saw also fendes drawyng down þe skynne of here shulders like to pokes and kittyng hem of ... women with gownes trayleng bi hinde hem a moche space ... and þo side trayles cut of with fendes and ybrent on here hedes ... [68] ... Þilk serpentes ... ben here iaggis and daggis þat þei vsidden
Biblical/Hagiographic, Heroic.
[MED Vision Staunton ((Roy 17.B.43) 63-68) ante 1405]
Sex: Male Use: Secular Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: Arm, Shoulder(s).
2(n.)
Accessory;
appears in surnames from c1300 (Alex. Haripok, 1299-1300; Will. Haripok, 1300-1302; Rob. Wasshepoke, 1323).(circa 1300)
Ceremonial: No
Body Parts:
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, most forms as they stand are < French [see OED], but cf. the influence of OE pohha (see pough), especially in its Northumbrian form pocca, and ON poki.
From OE pohha (Northumbrian poha, pocca) and ON; also cf. British L poca, puka, from Germanic and Old French poche (variant of poke, Norman pouque), from Germanic (cf. the entry for pouch).
Re. Irish póca: BTD says this is an Irish borrowing, but Irish would not have an initial 'p' unless it had been borrowed. More likely this was borrowed into both languages, possibly from the Latin.
WF:
Etym Cog: pouch, póca (Ir).
References:
