pouch

English

Etymology

From Middle English pouche, poche, borrowed from Old Northern French pouche, from Old French poche, puche (whence French poche; compare also the Anglo-Norman variant poke), of Germanic origin: from Frankish *poka (“pouch”) (compare Middle Dutch poke, Old English pohha, dialectal German Pfoch). Doublet of poke; compare pocket.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /paʊt͡ʃ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊtʃ

Noun

pouch (plural pouches)

1. A small bag usually closed with a drawstring.
2. (zoology) An organic pocket in which a marsupial carries its young.

   Synonym: marsupium

3. Any pocket or bag-shaped object, such as a cheek pouch.
4. (slang, dated, derogatory) A protuberant belly; a paunch.
5. A cyst or sac containing fluid.
   • 1747, Samuel Sharp, A Treatise on the Operations of Surgery:

     […] form a large Pouch or Cyst

6. (botany) A silicle, or short pod, as of the shepherd's purse.
7. A bulkhead in the hold of a vessel, to prevent grain etc. from shifting.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• bag
• pocket
• sack

Verb

pouch (third-person singular simple present pouches, present participle pouching, simple past and past participle pouched)

1. (transitive) To enclose within a pouch.

   The beggar pouched the coin.

2. (transitive) To transport within a pouch, especially a diplomatic pouch.

   We pouched the encryption device to our embassy in Beijing.

3. (of fowls and fish) To swallow.
   • 1713, William Derham, Physico-theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God‎:

     And, to name no more, the common Heron hath its most remarkable Parts adapted to this Service; long Legs for wading; and a long Neck answerable thereto to reach Prey; a wide, extensive Throat to pouch it; long Toes, with strong hooked Talons […]

   • 1820, Thomas Frederick Salter, The Trollerʻs Guide: A New and Complete Practical Treatise on the Art of Trolling Or Fishing for Jack and Pike‎:

     […] but if they shake the line and move, after they have remained still three or four minutes, you may conclude the fish has pouched the bait and feels the hooks, then wind up your slack and strike, but not violently, and always mind to keep the point of your rod a little raised while you are playing and killing your fish […]

4. (obsolete, rare) To pout.
   • 1754, Samuel Richardson, The History of Sir Charles Grandison:

     He pouched his mouth, and reared himself up and swelled; but answered me not.

5. (obsolete) To pocket; to put up with.
   • 1822, [Walter Scott], The Pirate. , volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC:

     And for the value of the gowden piece , it shall never be said I pouched her siller

Translations

References

• “pouch”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.