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Poach: meaning, definitions and examples

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poach

 

[ pəʊtʃ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

illegal hunting

To poach means to illegally hunt or catch animals, especially on someone else's land. Poaching is a serious problem worldwide, leading to the endangerment and extinction of many species.

Synonyms

capture unlawfully, hunt illegally, kill illicitly

Examples of usage

  • Poaching elephants for their tusks is a major issue in Africa.
  • The authorities caught a group of poachers in the act of killing endangered rhinos.
Context #2 | Verb

cook

To poach can also mean to cook food gently in water or broth. This method is often used for preparing eggs or fish.

Synonyms

cook gently, simmer, steam

Examples of usage

  • She decided to poach the eggs instead of frying them.
  • The chef poached the salmon to perfection.

Translations

Translations of the word "poach" in other languages:

🇵🇹 caçar ilegalmente

🇮🇳 अवैध शिकार करना

🇩🇪 wildern

🇮🇩 memburu secara ilegal

🇺🇦 браконьєрствувати

🇵🇱 kłusować

🇯🇵 密猟する (みつりょうする)

🇫🇷 braconner

🇪🇸 cazar furtivamente

🇹🇷 kaçak avlanmak

🇰🇷 밀렵하다

🇸🇦 الصيد غير المشروع

🇨🇿 pytlačit

🇸🇰 pytliačiť

🇨🇳 非法狩猎 (fēifǎ shòuliè)

🇸🇮 loviti nezakonito

🇮🇸 veiða ólöglega

🇰🇿 браконьерлікпен айналысу

🇬🇪 უკანონოდ ნადირობა

🇦🇿 qeyri-qanuni ovlamaq

🇲🇽 cazar furtivamente

Etymology

The word 'poach' originated from the Middle English word 'pochen', which means to thrust. It first appeared in the 15th century in the context of hunting or fishing illegally. The culinary meaning of poaching food emerged later in the 17th century. Poaching has been a controversial issue throughout history, with laws and regulations established to protect wildlife.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #33,811 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.