pronunciation
How to pronounce pocket in British English:
UK [ˈpɒkɪt]
How to pronounce pocket in American English:
US [ˈpɑːkɪt]
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- Noun:
- a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
- an enclosed space
- a supply of money
- (bowling) the space between the headpin and the pins next bnehind it on the right or left
- a hollow concave shape made by removing something
- a local region of low pressure or descending air that causes a plane to lose height suddenly
- a small isolated group of people
- (anatomy) saclike structure in any of various animals (as a marsupial or gopher or pelican)
- an opening at the corner or on the side of a billiard table into which billiard balls are struck
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- Verb:
- put in one's pocket
- take unlawfully
Word Origin
- pocket: [15] A pocket is etymologically a ‘small bag’. It comes from Anglo-Norman poket, a diminutive form of poke ‘bag’ (source of English poke ‘bag’ [13], now used only in the expression ‘buy a pig in a poke’). Its Old French equivalent was poche, source of English pouch [14] (and of poach). This was acquired from Frankish *pokka ‘bag’, a derivative of the same Germanic base (*puk-) as produced English pock (whose plural has become pox) and pucker.=> poach, pock, poke, pouch, pucker
- pocket (v.)
- 1580s, "to place in a pocket" (often with implications of dishonesty), from pocket (n.). From the earliest use often figurative. Meaning "to form pockets" is from c. 1600. Related: Pocketed; pocketing.
- pocket (n.)
- mid-14c., pokete, "bag, pouch, small sack," from Anglo-French pokete (13c.), diminutive of Old North French poque "bag" (Old French pouche), from a Germanic source akin to Frankish *pokka "bag," from Proto-Germanic *puk- (see poke (n.)). Meaning "small bag worn on the person, especially one sewn into a garment" is from early 15c. Sense in billiards is from 1754. Mining sense is attested from 1850; military sense of "area held by troops surrounded by the enemy" is from 1918; the general sense of "small area different than its surroundings" (1926) apparently was extended from the military use. Figuratively, "one's money" (conceived as being kept in a pocket) is from 1717. Pope Pokett (late 15c.) was figurative of the greedy and corrupt Church.
- pocket (adj.)
- 1610s, "of or pertaining to or meant for a pocket," from pocket (n.). Pocket-knife is first recorded 1727; pocket-money is attested from 1630s. Often merely implying a small-sized version of something (for example of of warships, from 1930; also compare Pocket Venus "beautiful, small woman," attested from 1808). Pocket veto attested from 1842, American English. The "pocket veto" can operate only in the case of bills sent to the President within ten days of Congressional adjournment. If he retain such a bill (figuratively, in his pocket) neither giving it his sanction by signing it, nor withholding his sanction in returning it to Congress, the bill is defeated. The President is not bound to give reasons for defeating a bill by a pocket veto which he has not had at least ten days to consider. In a regular veto he is bound to give such reasons. [James Albert Woodburn, "The American Republic and its Government," Putnam's, 1903]
Example
- 1. Or just leave it in your pocket or purse .
- 2. Old mr white took the paw from his pocket .
- 3. And carry your wallet on an inner pocket .
- 4. She noticed that a second card had fallen from his pocket .
- 5. Better yet , a lot of customers pay out of pocket .