Box vs Poke - What's the difference?

In transitive terms the difference between box and poke

is that box is to fight against (a person) in a boxing match while poke is to thrust (something) in a particular direction such as the tongue.

In transitive computing terms the difference between box and poke

is that box is to place a value of a primitive type into a corresponding object while poke is to modify the value stored in (a memory address).

box

English

(wikipedia box)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) box, from (etyl) .

Noun

(boxes)

A space; a container, usually with a hinged lid.

* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)

, title=(The China Governess) , chapter=1 citation , passage=The huge square box , parquet-floored and high-ceilinged, had been arranged to display a suite of bedroom furniture designed and made in the halcyon days of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, […].}}

As much as fills a such a container.

A compartment of a storage furniture, or of a part of such a furniture, such as of a drawer, shelving, etc.

A compartment to sit in at a theater, courtroom or auditorium.

A small rectangular shelter like a booth.

a sentry box

A rectangle.

Place a tick or a cross in the box .

This text would stand out better if we put it in a box of colour.

An input field on an interactive electronic display.

A numbered receptacle at a newspaper office for anonymous replies to advertisements.

A trap or predicament.

The driver's seat on a coach.

(cricket) A hard protector for the genitals worn by a batsman or close fielder inside the underpants.

(engineering) A cylindrical casing around for example a bearing or gland.

(football) The penalty area.

* {{quote-news

, year=2010 , date=December 29 , author=Chris Whyatt , title=Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton , work=BBC citation , passage=Poised link-up play between Essien and Lampard set the Ghanaian midfielder free soon after but his left-footed shot from outside the box was too weak.}}

(computing, slang) A computer, or the case in which it is housed.

(slang, offensive) The vagina.

(euphemistic) Coffin.

(juggling) A pattern usually performed with three balls where the movements of the balls make a boxlike shape.

Horse box.

* 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 22[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22]

He was a fine-looking middle-aged man, and his voice said at once that he expected to be obeyed. He was very friendly and polite to John, and after giving us a slight look, he called a groom to take us to our boxes , and invited John to take some refreshment.

(baseball) The rectangle in which the stands.

A Mediterranean food fish; the bogue.

(dated) A small country house.

a shooting box

(Wilson)

* Cowper

tight boxes neatly sashed

(informal) box lacrosse

Usage notes

* (computer) The whimsical plural (boxen) is occasionally used.

Synonyms

* (rectangular container) case, package * (as much as fills a box) boxful * (compartment to sit in) loge * (small shelter like a booth) shelter * (input field on an electronic display) text box * (sense, driver's seat on a coach) box seat * gash, pussy, twat * (television) telly (UK), tube, TV * computer, machine * (protector for the genitals) cup (US)

Derived terms

* airbox * apple-box * axle-box * ballot box * bandbox * beatbox * be in a box * be in the same box * be in the wrong box * bento box * bitty box * black box * blue box * boom box, boom-box, boombox * box and needle * box-anneal * box-annealing * box-back * boxball * box-barrage * box-beam * box-bed * box-bill * box-board, boxboard * box-club * box camera * box canyon * box-car, boxcar * box-cart * box-chronometer * box-churn * box-cloth * box-club * box coat * box-coil * box-colored, box-coloured * box-coupling * box-crab * box-cutter * box-day * box-desk * box-drain * boxen * box end wrench * boxer * box-feeding * box file * box-fish, boxfish * box-fitter * box-food * box frame, box-frame * boxful * box girder * box-grain * box-groove * box guitar * box-hand * box-hat * box-head, boxhead * box-hook * box-house * box-iron * box jellyfish * box junction * box-keeper, boxkeeper * box-keeperess * box-key * box kite * box lacrosse * boxlock * box-letter * box-level * box-lobby * box-loom * box lunch * box lyre * box magazine * boxmaker, boxmaking * box-man * box-master * box-mattress * box-meat * box-metal * box-money * box-motion * box number * box-nut * a box of birds * box of chocolates * box office, box-office * box of matches * box-ottoman * box-oyster * box-plan * box pleat * box-pleated * box-pleating * box profits * box-rent * box room, box-room, boxroom * box score * box seat, box-seat * box set, box-set * box-shutter * box-slater * box-sleigh * box social * box spanner * box spread * box spring, box-spring * box-square * box-stair * box-staircase * box stall * box-standard * box-staple * box step * box-stone * box-strap * box-string * box-swivel * box-tail * box-tappet * box-tenon * box-ticking * box-timbering * box-toe * box-tool * box top, box-top * box-tortoise * box-trap * box-tricycle * box turtle * box-valve * box-van * box-wagon * box-wallah * box wrench, box-wrench * boxy * brain box, brain-box, brainbox * breadbox * CAAT box * cable box * call box, call-box * cardboard box * cartridge-box * cash-box, cashbox * chatterbox * check box (checkbox) * Chinese boxes * chocolate-box * Christmas box * cigar box * clack-box * coachbox * coal-box * coin-box * collecting box * color-box, colour-box * comb-box * combo box (combobox) * coolbox * coupling-box * cracker-box * dead-letter box * deed-box * dialog box * dice-box, dicebox * dirt-box * dispatch-box * ditty-box * dog-box, dogbox * dredge-box * dredging-box * dressing-box * dressing-up box * drink box * driving-box * dumb as a box of rocks * dust-box * egg-box * embox * feed-box * feeding-box * fire-box, firebox * first-aid box * fishing box * flush-box * front box * fuse-box, fusebox * fuzz box, fuzzbox * gearbox * GC box * glory box * glove box, glovebox * goggle-box * Goldberg-Hogness box, Hogness box * grass box * hat-box, hatbox * hay-box, haybox * hell-box, hellbox * homeobox, homoeobox * horse box, horse-box, horsebox * hot box, hotbox * hunting box * icebox * idiot box * in-box, inbox * Jack-in-a-box, Jack-in-the-box, jack-in-the-box * jewel box, jewel-box * journal box * juice box * junction-box * jukebox * jury box * knife-box * knock out of the box * letterbox * light box * list box * live-box * lockbox * loose box, loosebox * love box * lunch box, lunch-box, lunchbox * magic box * mail-box, mailbox * marmalade box * matchbox * missionary-box * miter box, mitre box * money box, moneybox * moss-box * mud box * muscle-box * musical box * music-box * nest-box * nesting box * omnibus box * one out of the box * out-box, outbox * out of the box * packing box * paddle-box * paint box, paintbox * Pandora’s box * patch-box * pay box * peg-box * pegbox * penalty box * pepperbox * phone box * pillar box, pillar-box * pillbox * play-box, playbox * PO box * police box * poor box * post-box, postbox * post-office box * potato-box * pounce-box * pouncet-box * powder-box * power box * prattle-box * press box, press-box * private box * prompt-box * prompter's box * property box * puff box * rattlebox * resistance-box * safe-deposit box, safety-deposit box * salt-box, saltbox * sandbox * saucebox * savings-box * scent-box * search box * seed-box, seedbox * sentry box * set-top box * shoe-box, shoebox * shooting box * show-box * side box, side-box * signal box * Skinner box * six-yard box * skybox * sluice-box * slushbox * smoke-box, smokebox * snow box * snuffbox * soap-box, soapbox * sound box, sound-box, soundbox * spice-box * spitbox * spurious box * squawk box, squawk-box, squawkbox * squeeze-box, squeezebox * stage box * strong-box, strongbox * stuffing box, stuffing-box * sugar-box * suggestion box * swear box * sweat-box, sweatbox * swell box * tar-box * TATA box * T-box * telephone box * tell-box * text box (textbox) * thunder-box * tick all the boxes * tick box * tinder box, tinder-box, tinderbox * tobacco-box * toolbox * touch-box * tuck box * tucker-box * tumbling box, tumbling-box * unbox * upper box * vanity box, vanity-box * versing box * voice box, voice-box * wagon box * watch-box * weather-box * weigh-box * the whole box and dice * window-box * wine box * witness box, witness-box * work-box, workbox * writing-box * Yerkes discrimination box * yogibogeybox

Descendants

* Portuguese:

Verb

(es)

To place inside a box; to pack in boxes.

(usually with 'in') To hem in.

(computing) To place a value of a primitive type into a corresponding object.

To mix two containers of paint of similar color to ensure that the color is identical.

To furnish (e.g. a wheel) with boxes.

(architecture) To enclose with boarding, lathing, etc., so as to bring to a required form.

To make an incision or hole in (a tree) for the purpose of procuring the sap.

Synonyms

* (to place inside a box) box up, case, embox, encase, pack, package, package up * (to hem in) corner

Derived terms

* abox * autoboxing * box about * boxed * boxer * box-haul, boxhaul * box-hauling * box in * boxing * Boxing Day * box off * box out * box the compass * box up

Antonyms

* (place inside a box) unbox, uncase, unpack

Etymology 2

(etyl), from (etyl), from (etyl) buxus, from (etyl) .

Noun

(boxes)

Any of various evergreen shrubs or trees of the genus Buxus .

* '>citation

Boxwood: the wood from a box tree.

* 1884 , John R. Jackson, “Boxwood and its Substitutes”, reprinted in Journal of the Society of Arts , 1885 April 10, page 567:

Nevertheless, the application of woods other than box' for purposes for which that wood is now used would tend to lessen the demand for ' box , and thus might have an effect in lowering its price.

(slang) A musical instrument, especially/usually one made from boxwood.

* 1937 , , Their Eyes Were Watching God , Harper Perennial (2000), page 100:

“Evenin’, folks. Thought y’all might lak uh lil music this evenin’ so Ah brought long mah box .”

Derived terms

* box elder * box holly * box thorn

Synonyms

* (evergreen shrub or tree) boxwood

Derived terms

* bastard box * bonnet-box * box alder, box elder * boxberry * box-edged * boxen * boxer * box-gum * box-holly * box-room * box-slip * box-thorn, boxthorn * box-tree * boxwood * flowering box * grey box * prickly box * Queensland box * red box * Tasmanian box

Etymology 3

(etyl) (fist, pugilism)

Noun

(boxes)

A blow with the fist.

* Washington Irving

And then he whispered something to the girl which made her laugh, and give him a good-humored box on the ear.

Synonyms

* (blow with the fist) blow, punch

Verb

(es)

To strike with fists; to punch.

box someone's ears

Leave this place before I box you!

To fight against (a person) in a boxing match.

To participate in boxing; to be a boxer.

Derived terms

(derived terms) * BoxAerobics, boxaerobics * box clever * Boxer * boxer * boxercise * boxiana * boxing * box it out * box on * box-on * box oneself into a corner * out-box * shadow-box, shadowbox

Descendants

* German: * Portuguese:

poke

English

Etymology 1

Perhaps from (etyl) poken or (etyl) poken (both from (etyl) ), perhaps imitative.

Verb

(pok)

To prod or jab with a pointed object such as a finger or a stick.

* {{quote-news

, year=2010 , date=December 29 , author=Sam Sheringham , title=Liverpool 0 - 1 Wolverhampton , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Ward showed good pace to beat the advancing Reina to the ball and poke a low finish into the corner.}}

To poke a fire to remove ash or promote burning.

(figuratively) To rummage as in to poke about in.

(computing) To modify the value stored in (a memory address).

* 1984 , Franco Frey, SPECGRAFFITI'' (in ''Crash magazine, issue 6, July 1984)

The 200 UDGs may be used either by paging between 10 sets of 20 UDGs or, alternatively, by displaying 96 different characters by poking the system variable CHARS with 256 less than the starting address of your graphics.

* 1985 , Tom Weishaar, Bert Kersey, The DOStalk Scrapbook (page 44)

If you try to poke a value outside this range into a byte, Basic will beep you with an ILLEGAL QUANTITY error.

To put a poke on.

to poke an ox

To thrust with the horns; to gore.

(informal, internet) To notify.

(label) To thrust (something) in a particular direction such as the tongue.

Derived terms

{{der3, poke along , poke bonnet , poke box , poke fun , toepoke}}

Noun

(en noun)

(US, slang) A lazy person; a dawdler.

(US, slang) A stupid or uninteresting person.

(Bartlett)

(US) A device to prevent an animal from leaping or breaking through fences, consisting of a yoke with a pole inserted, pointed forward.

(computing) The storage of a value in a memory address, typically to modify the behaviour of a program or to cheat at a video game.

* 1988 , "Lloyd Mangram", Forum'' (in ''Crash magazine issue 54, July 1988)

Perhaps all those super hackers who so regularly produce infinite lives etc. could produce pokes to be used by 128K users.

Etymology 2

From (etyl) poke, whence pocket

Noun

(en noun)

* c. 1386 , , The Canterbury Tales'', ''The Miller's Prologue and Tale :

Gerveys answerde, “Certes, were it gold,
Or in a poke nobles alle untold,
Thou sholdest have, as I am trewe smyth.

* c. 1599 , , As You Like It , act 2, scene 7:

And then he drew a dial from his poke ,
And, looking on it with lack-lustre eye,
Says very wisely, ‘It is ten o'clock…’

* 1605 , , Remaines Concerning Brittaine'', 1629 edition, ''Proverbes , page 276:

When the Pig is proffered, hold vp the poke .

* 1627 , , Minor Poems of Michael Drayton'', 1907 edition, poem ''Nimphidia :

And suddainly vntyes the Poke ,
Which out of it sent such a smoke,
As ready was them all to choke,
So greeuous was the pother [...].

* 1814 , September 4, The Examiner'', volume 13, number 349, article ''French Fashions , page 573:

… and as to shape , a nightmare has as much. Under the poke and the muff-box, the face sometimes entirely disappears …

* 1946 , Mezz Mezzrow and Bernard Wolfe, Really the Blues , Payback Press 1999, p. 91:

In the summertime they'd reach out and snatch your straw hat right off your head, and if you were fool enough to go after it your poke was bound to be lighter when you came out.

* 2008 , (James Kelman), Kieron Smith, Boy , Penguin 2009, p. 138:

She did not eat blood-oranges. Her maw gived her one in a poke and she was going to throw it in the bin, Oh it is all black.

A long, wide sleeve; a poke sleeve.

(Scotland, Northern Ireland) An ice cream cone.

Derived terms

* buy a pig in a poke * pocket

Etymology 3

Either a shortening of, or from the same source as, (quod vide).

Noun

(en noun)

(dialectal) Pokeweed.

Synonyms

* see the list at (pokeweed)