Poring
/ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
verbB2present participle
Definition
Poring is the action of studying or examining something closely and carefully. When someone is poring over a book, document, or map, they are paying strong attention to details, often because they want to understand or find something important.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
To look at or read something very carefully and with attention
- •She was poring over the ancient manuscript for hours.
- •He spent the afternoon poring over the financial reports.
- •The students were poring over their textbooks before the exam.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'poring' like 'looking,' but much more focused and careful—like reading a map instead of just glancing at it
- ✓Picture someone leaning close to a book, eyes fixed, slowly moving through the pages with concentration
- ✓It's the feeling when you really want to understand a difficult homework problem and you don’t want to miss anything
- ✓Sounds like 'PORE-ing' → imagine water slowly going into tiny holes (pores) very carefully and steadily, just like your eyes slowly taking in every detail
- ✓Think of a detective in stories who pores over clues to solve a mystery, carefully checking every small detail
- ✓NOT like 'glance' (quick look), poring is slow and deep attention
- ✓NOT like 'skimming' (reading fast to get the main idea), poring is reading slowly to understand everything
- ✓NOT like 'staring' (looking without focus), poring means looking with purpose and thought
Try Other Words
- •Examining: looking at something carefully (Use when you want to emphasize checking details, often with objects or documents)
- •Scrutinizing: looking very closely and critically (Use when the attention is very intense and sometimes critical)
- •Reading: looking at written text (Use for general reading, less focused than poring)
- •Analyzing: studying something carefully to understand it deeply (Use when thinking deeply about meaning or structure)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'pore' (noun: tiny hole or opening) + '-ing' (verb ending for present participle)
- •Etymology: 'Pore' as a verb means to gaze or look intently; this use comes from the idea of focusing like water going into tiny holes
- •Historical development: The verb 'to pore' meaning to look carefully has been used since the 16th century
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe careful reading or examination of texts, maps, or data
Reflect & Connect
•When have you last spent time poring over something? What was it, and why did you need to look so carefully?
•How is poring different from just looking or reading quickly? Can poring be tiring or enjoyable?
Fill in the blanks
1.She was poring over the documents because she needed to ___ every detail for the report.
2.When you are poring over a map, you usually want to find the ___ route or location.
3.Unlike skimming, poring means reading very ___ and carefully.
4.Detectives often spend hours poring over clues to ___ a case.
5.He was poring ___ the textbook late at night before the exam.
6.Poring over something usually shows you want to understand or ___ it fully.
7.If someone is just staring without thinking, they are not really ___ over the object or text.