Pokey
/ˈpoʊki/
adjectiveB1
Definition
Pokey is an informal word used to say that something is slow or not fast. It also means that a place or space is small, tight, or crowded, making it uncomfortable. People might use it to describe slow traffic, slow workers, or a small room.
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See It in Action
Moving slowly or taking a long time
- •The old car was really pokey on the highway.
- •Don’t be so pokey; we need to finish this work soon.
- •The computer is pokey and takes a long time to open programs.
Small, cramped, or tight space
- •The apartment was pokey, with barely enough room for a bed.
- •This pokey little office makes it hard to work comfortably.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "pokey" like "slow" (A1 word), but often with a feeling of being a little annoying or uncomfortable because of it
- ✓Picture a tiny, messy room where you have little space to move—that’s pokey
- ✓It’s the feeling when you are stuck in slow traffic and want to get somewhere faster
- ✓Sounds like "POH-kee" → imagine poking something slowly, like a turtle moving slowly when you poke it
- ✓Think of a turtle or snail moving slowly, or a small, cramped closet where you can barely turn around
- ✓NOT like "fast" (quick movement), pokey is slow or delayed
- ✓NOT like "big" (large space), pokey means small or cramped space
- ✓NOT like "comfortable" (pleasant space), pokey often feels tight or uncomfortable
Try Other Words
- •Slow: moving at a low speed (Use when talking only about speed without negative feeling)
- •Cramped: small and tight space (Use when focusing on small, uncomfortable spaces)
- •Sluggish: moving slowly and with little energy (Use for slow movement with tired feeling)
- •Tight: small and close together (Use when describing small spaces)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "poke" (to push or jab) + "-y" (adjective ending meaning "having the quality of")
- •Etymology: From English "poke," meaning to push or jab, extended to describe slow or small, as if things move by poking slowly or spaces feel like you are poking around
- •Historical development: Used in informal English since early 1900s to describe slow movement or small spaces
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in everyday speech to describe slow things or small, uncomfortable places
- •Key insight: The idea of "poke" gives a sense of slow, small, or tight action or space
Reflect & Connect
•When have you felt frustrated by something pokey, like slow service or a small room? How did it affect you?
•Can "pokey" be used in a positive way, or is it always negative? Why or why not?
Fill in the blanks
1.The traffic was pokey because of the ___ on the road.
2.She didn’t like the pokey apartment because it had ___ space.
3.When the computer is pokey, it usually means it is ___ or old.
4.The worker was pokey, so the boss asked him to ___ faster.
5.Unlike a fast runner, the turtle is pokey and moves very ___.
6.The room felt pokey ___ the furniture was too big for it.
7.If someone says "Don’t be pokey," they want you to ___ your speed.