Poke
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "poke" means a bag or sack, usually for groceries or other goods.
synonyms: sack, bag, tote, bundle
Hillbilly Dude Says...
My neighbor from across the mountain use "poke,' but we never did. So it may be more regional. Hillbilly Dude Says...
My neighbor from across the mountain use "poke,' but we never did. So it may be more regional. Pronunciation
[POHK] /poʊk/
Meaning & Usage
- A bag or sack (noun)
Hazel:
What’d you get at the store?
What’d you get at the store?
Earl:
Just a poke of flour and a poke of sugar.
Just a poke of flour and a poke of sugar.variations: pouch, sack, bag
★ The old saying "pig in a poke" comes from this same word - warning folks not to buy something sight unseen. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Middle English pok, meaning bag, carried into Scots-Irish speech and brought to Appalachia by early settlers. Documented in the American South by the 18th century, "poke" became the everyday country word for a sack or bag.
Usage Notes
- Still heard in Appalachia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Deep South.
- Most common among older generations; younger speakers are more likely to just say "bag."
- Appears in proverbs and folk sayings like "pig in a poke."