poach

1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈpōch 

poached; poaching; poaches

transitive verb

: to cook in simmering liquid

poach

2 of 2

verb (2)

poached; poaching; poaches

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

1

: to trespass on

a field poached too frequently by the amateur

—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

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• boil
• simmer

Examples of poach in a Sentence

Verb (1)

poaching fish in a stock flavored with white wine

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

But the hire further highlights Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s particularly aggressive push to poach top AI talent from competitors, hiring more than 50 top AI researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Apple, and others. —John Kell, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025

Add the shrimp and poach for one to two minutes. —Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025

Its generous capacity is perfect for preparing stews and chilis, batch cooking, blanching vegetables, and even poaching. —Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025

Species such as Grant’s gazelles, Thomson’s gazelles, Southern reedbucks, and Impalas are commonly poached for meat, horns (used in traditional medicine and ornaments) and skins. —Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English pocchen, from Middle French pocher, from Old French poché poached, literally, bagged, from poche bag, pocket — more at pouch

Verb (2)

Middle French pocher, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle English poken to poke

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1611, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing poach

• poach on someone's territory/turf

Rhymes for poach

• broach
• coach
• loach
• roach
• roche
• approach
• cockroach
• encroach
• reproach
• stagecoach

Kids Definition

poach

1 of 2 verb

ˈpōch 

: 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"