poach
poach Lexical Profile
poach Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To cook food, such as eggs, fish, or fruit, gently by simmering it in a small amount of liquid just below the boiling point.
"The chef decided to poach the salmon in white wine and fresh herbs for a delicate flavor."
To illegally hunt, trap, or catch wild animals or fish on protected land or private property without permission.
"Park rangers patrol the reserve day and night to stop criminals who try to poach endangered rhinos."
To unfairly or covertly take away employees, clients, or ideas from a competitor or rival.
"The startup offered generous stock options in an effort to poach top software engineers from rival tech firms."
To intercept and play a ball that would normally have been taken by one's doubles partner (in tennis and other racket sports).
"In doubles tennis, an aggressive player at the net will often cross over to poach a weak return."
• Rhymes for poach
Word Origin & Etymology
The culinary sense comes from Old French 'pochier' ('to enclose in a bag'), referring to the way a cooked egg white encloses the yolk like a pouch. The hunting and trespassing sense derives separately from Middle French 'pocher' ('to poke out or encroach upon'), originally from a Germanic root meaning to thrust or push.