---
title: poke — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «poke» in the school dictionary: To poke is to push something with your finger or a pointed object. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# poke

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, poke, someone, He, rabbit, It · **What happens:** poke, be, poke out, see, poke around, buy · **To what, where:** part, quick push, place, fun, pig, poke

<!-- .vabout -->
«poke» in the school dictionary: its 6 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [poke in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/poke.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To poke is to push something with your finger or a pointed object.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:m1:1
# text = To poke is to push something with your finger or a pointed object.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	poke	poke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	push	push	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	finger	finger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	pointed	pointed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	object	object	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **poke** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with your finger or a pointed object; push *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To poke out is to stick out from somewhere so you can see part of it.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:m2:1
# text = To poke out is to stick out from somewhere so you can see part of it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	poke	poke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	out	out	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	stick	stick	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	somewhere	somewhere	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	_
10	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
14	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **poke out** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | stick *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **see** | can | you | part of part |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer part=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A poke is a quick push with a finger or stick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:m3:1
# text = A poke is a quick push with a finger or stick.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	poke	poke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	push	push	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	finger	finger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a poke | a quick push |  |  |  | with a finger or stick | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To poke around is to look around in a place, sometimes where you should not.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:m4:1
# text = To poke around is to look around in a place, sometimes where you should not.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	poke	poke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	around	around	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	around	around	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	sometimes	sometimes	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	15	advmod	_	_
13	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	15	advmod	_	_
14	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
16	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **poke around** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | around *property* | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a place |  | around, look *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To poke fun at someone is to laugh at them unkindly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:m5:1
# text = To poke fun at someone is to laugh at them unkindly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	poke	poke	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	at	at	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	laugh	laugh	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obl	_	_
11	unkindly	unkindly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **poke** | to-infinitive |  | fun |  |  |  |  | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent fun=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | someone |  |  |  |  | at them *= they*; laugh, unkindly *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 6 {#m6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To buy a pig in a poke means to buy something without looking at it first.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:m6:1
# text = To buy a pig in a poke means to buy something without looking at it first.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	buy	buy	VERB	VB	_	8	nsubj	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pig	pig	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	poke	poke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	buy	buy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	advcl	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obl	_	_
16	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **buy** | to-infinitive |  | a pig |  | a poke |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pig=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **buy** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 4 | **look** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | at poke; first *property* | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at it=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't poke the dog with a stick.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:x1:1
# text = Don't poke the dog with a stick.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	poke	poke	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **poke** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the dog |  |  |  | with a stick | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.theme PP.instsrument»: agent=Agent dog=Theme with stick=Instrument |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He poked me in the arm to wake me.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:x2:1
# text = He poked me in the arm to wake me.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	poked	poke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	arm	arm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	wake	wake	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **poke** | past | He | me |  | the arm |  |  | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.instrument PP.theme»: agent=Agent i=Instrument |
| 2 | **wake** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent i=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rabbit poked its head out of the burrow.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:x3:1
# text = A rabbit poked its head out of the burrow.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rabbit	rabbit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	poked	poke	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	out	out	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	burrow	burrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **poke** | participle | a rabbit | rabbit's head |  | the burrow |  |  | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent head=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never poke anything into a socket.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:x4:1
# text = Never poke anything into a socket.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	poke	poke	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	socket	socket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **poke** | imperative | you *not said here* | anything |  |  |  | into a socket | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.patient»: agent=Agent anything=Instrument into socket=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stop poking around in my room!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:x5:1
# text = Stop poking around in my room!
1	Stop	stop	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	poking	poke	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	xcomp	_	_
3	around	around	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	room	room	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **poke around** | gerund | you *not said here* |  |  | my room |  | around *property* | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location PP.theme»: agent=Agent in room=Location |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's unkind to poke fun at people.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:x6:1
# text = It's unkind to poke fun at people.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	poke	poke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | unkind *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **poke** | to-infinitive |  | fun |  |  |  | at people | vn poke-19-1-1-1 «NP V NP.instrument PP.theme»: agent=Agent fun=Instrument at people=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Daffodils were poking up through the soil.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:poke:x7:1
# text = Daffodils were poking up through the soil.
1	Daffodils	daffodil	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	poking	poke	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	through	through	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **poke up** | past · progressive | Daffodils |  |  | the soil |  |  | vn rummage-35.5 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent through soil=Location |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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