pore

verb \ ˈpȯr \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Definition of pore

pored; poring

intransitive verb

1 : to gaze intently

2 : to read or study attentively —usually used with over

3 : to reflect or meditate steadily

See pore defined for English-language learners

See pore defined for kids

Recent Examples of pore from the Web

Feinstein wants to pore over Kavanaugh’s record before hearings begin – perhaps after Labor Day.

— francine kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, "For women senators, court nomination touches a very personal issue," 11 July 2018
Bookworms must visit Trinity College, if not to snap an Instagram of the Long Room, then to pore over the library’s collection of some five million books.

— todd plummer, Vogue, "A Perfect Weekend Away in Dublin," 11 July 2018
As a result, opponents plan to spend millions to pore over Judge Kavanaugh’s life and judicial record, and likely portray him as an enemy of women’s and civil rights.

— julie bykowicz, WSJ, "Outside Groups Plan Costly Campaigns for—or Against—Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh," 9 July 2018
So for the next 10 days Dunkle and his staff will continue to pore over film from last year, identify players and work overtime until school starts.

— steve brand, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Freddy Dunkle to lead Montgomery football program," 5 July 2018
Harker, Liddell and Vee-Vee would take one look at them, decide that the Russian was too volatile to be use- ful, trade him to the Americans for chickenfeed and send Rachel back to her desk to pore over endless files on angry Irishmen.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "The geopolitics of the afterlife get messy in the new sci-fi spy novel Summerland," 17 June 2018
And thanks to Quinn and his bendability, Tunsil has had plenty to pore over this spring too.

— adam h. beasley, miamiherald, "Laremy Tunsil knows 2017 was not good enough. Here's why he expects 2018 to be better," 14 June 2018
Any deal would almost certainly involve an army of international inspectors visiting hundreds of military and nuclear sites to pore over equipment, documents, and personnel to verify compliance.

— w.j. hennigan, Time, "President Trump Wants North Korea to Give Up Nuclear Weapons. Here's Just How Hard That Would Be," 11 June 2018
More humans will need to pore through more of your photos, comments, and updates.

— michal lev-ram, Fortune, "Facebook's Fix-It Team," 22 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pore.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pore

Middle English pouren

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

pore

noun

Definition of pore

1 : a minute opening especially in an animal or plant; especially : one by which matter passes through a membrane

2 : a small interstice (as in soil) admitting absorption or passage of liquid

—

pored

play \ˈpȯrd\ adjective

See pore defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of pore from the Web

Promising to be completely pain-free, activated charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out gunk from pores to minimize their appearance while ingredients like squalene, soothe and hydrate the skin.

— tanisha pina, Allure, "Amazon Is Launching Exclusive Beauty Products for Prime Day 2018," 10 July 2018
Vince Ellis and Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Seated in the courtyard of the Montage Beverly Hills, excitement and energy exudes from every pore of Dwane Casey’s body.

— vince ellis, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey: 'Time is now' for team to contend," 17 June 2018
When your skin is over-producing oil, clogged pores are inevitable.

— jenn sinrich, SELF, "9 Habits That Could Be Making Your Oily Skin Even Oilier," 15 June 2018
They’re made out of fabric with a porous membrane, with each pore 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet.

— matt jancer, Outside Online, "A Eulogy to the Sierra Designs Ultralight Trench," 12 June 2018
Instead, Holey swears by cleansing oils — which pull residue from pores without disrupting the equilibrium of skin — as a kinder method for achieving a radiant complexion.

— New York Times, "How to Exfoliate, Without Damaging Your Skin," 29 May 2018
Graphene's possible health and environmental risks are still being studied, but the dye is nonabrasive, and the flakes are too large to enter human pores, Huang notes.

— prachi patel, Scientific American, "The Quirkier Uses of Graphene," 16 May 2018
Bonus: the silky texture helps to hide pores and prep the skin for smooth foundation application.

— meghan overdeep, Southern Living, "Hold the Phone: Costco Just Entered the Korean Beauty Game With This All-In-One Kit," 10 Apr. 2018
Water should slowly seep, not squirt, from the pores.

— the editors of organic life, Good Housekeeping, "How To Use Soaker Hoses To Install A Drip Irrigation System In Your Garden," 7 Mar. 2017

Origin and Etymology of pore

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin porus, from Greek poros passage, pore — more at fare

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

PORE Defined for English Language Learners

pore

noun

Definition of pore for English Language Learners

: a very small opening on the surface of your skin that liquid comes out through when you sweat
: a small opening on the surface of a plant, a rock, etc.

PORE Defined for Kids

pore

verb \ ˈpȯr \

Definition of pore for Students

pored; poring

: to read with great attention : study

I pored over my book.

pore

noun

Definition of pore for Students

: a tiny opening (as in the skin)

Medical Dictionary

pore

noun \ ˈpō(ə)r, ˈpȯ(ə)r \

medical Definition of pore

: a minute opening especially in an animal or plant; especially : one by which matter passes through a membrane

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See words that rhyme with pore Spanish Central: Translation of pore Nglish: Translation of pore for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pore for Arabic speakers

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pore

Definition of pore

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Origin and Etymology of pore

pore

Definition of pore

pored

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Origin and Etymology of pore

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