poach

verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpoʊt͡ʃ/

Etymology: From Old French pocher, pochier (“to trample, poach into”). Doublet of poke.

The act of taking something unfairly, as in tennis doubles where one player returns a shot that their partner was better placed to return.

Etymology: From Old French pocher, pochier (“to trample, poach into”). Doublet of poke.

To trespass on another's property to take fish or game.
To take game or fish illegally.
“A 2016 study using carbon dating of more than 200 tusks from seizures spanning nine countries suggested that illegal ivory originates from elephants poached recently, instead of being pilfered from aging stockpiles kept by various nations.”
To take anything illegally or unfairly.
“Chelsea's embarrassment was symbolised by Ross Barkley's inexplicable header straight to the feet of Aguero to poach his second and Ilkay Gundogan capped that early blitz with a low drive.”
To intrude; to interfere; to get involved inappropriately, without welcome.
“to poach in foreign academic disciplines”
To entice (an employee or customer) to switch from a competing company to one's own.
“EBay has accused three Amazon managers of illegally conspiring to poach its sellers, escalating a monthslong feud between two of the country’s largest e-commerce companies.”
To make soft or muddy by trampling.
“Cattle coming to drink had punched and poached the river bank into a mess of mud.”
“the poach'd filth that floods the middle street”
To become soft or muddy by being trampled on.
“Chalky and clay lands […] chap in summer, and poach in winter.”
To stab; to pierce; to spear or drive or plunge into something.
“They vse alſo to poche them with an instrument somewhat like the Sammon-speare”
“his horse poching one of his legs into some hollow ground”