poach

verb

UK /pəʊtʃ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	poach
he/she/it	poaches
present participle	poaching
past tense	poached
past participle	poached

1
transitive to cook an egg without its shell in water that is boiling gently
Synonyms and related words
Cook food or be cooked
bake
barbecue
baste
1. 1a
  to cook something in water, milk, or another liquid that is boiling gently
  Poach the chicken in white wine for 15 minutes.
  Synonyms and related words
  Cook food or be cooked
  bake
  barbecue
  baste
2
intransitive/transitive to illegally catch or kill an animal, bird, or fish on someone else’s property
The two men were caught poaching lions on government land.
Synonyms and related words
To kill animals
bag
butcher
cull
Synonyms and related words
General words for hunting, shooting and fishing
an easy target
angling
bag
3
transitive to persuade someone to leave a group or organization and become a member of yours, especially by using secret or dishonest methods
Canada has accused American baseball teams of trying to poach their best players.
Synonyms and related words
Relating to the forming and breaking up of organizations
reshuffle
fracture
poach
1. 3a
  to persuade someone to stop buying products or services from a company and start buying them from your company instead, especially by using secret or dishonest methods
  Synonyms and related words
  To encourage someone to do or to not do something
  encourage
  persuade
  convince
2. 3b
  to take something such as an idea that belongs to someone else, especially by using secret or dishonest methods, and use it for your own benefit
  Synonyms and related words
  To do something dishonest
  cheat
  defraud
  falsify

phrases

poach on someone’s territory