v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Poached p. pr. & vb. n. Poaching. ] [ F. pocher to place in a pocket, to poach eggs (the yolk of the egg being as it were pouched in the white), from poche pocket, pouch. See Pouch, v. & n. ] 1. To cook, as eggs, by breaking them into boiling water; also, to cook with butter after breaking in a vessel. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To rob of game; to pocket and convey away by stealth, as game; hence, to plunder. Garth. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To steal or pocket game, or to carry it away privately, as in a bag; to kill or destroy game contrary to law, especially by night; to hunt or fish unlawfully; as, to poach for rabbits or for salmon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Cf. OF. pocher to thrust or dig out with the fingers, to bruise (the eyes), F. pouce thumb, L. pollex, and also E. poach to cook eggs, to plunder, and poke to thrust against. ] 1. To stab; to pierce; to spear, as fish. [ Obs. ] Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To force, drive, or plunge into anything. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His horse poching one of his legs into some hollow ground. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To make soft or muddy by trampling. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To begin and not complete. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become soft or muddy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Chalky and clay lands . . . chap in summer, and poach in winter. Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Poach to stab. ] [ Written also pocard, pochard. ] (Zool.) (a) A common European duck (Aythya ferina); -- called also goldhead, poker, and fresh-water widgeon, or red-headed widgeon. (b) The American redhead, which is closely allied to the European poachard. [ 1913 Webster ]

Red-crested poachard (Zool.), an Old World duck (Branta rufina). --
Scaup poachard, the scaup duck. --
Tufted poachard, a scaup duck (Aythya cristata, or Fuligula cristata), native of Europe and Asia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who poaches; one who kills or catches game or fish contrary to law. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The American widgeon. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Sea poacher (Zool.), the lyrie. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being poachy; marshiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Poach to stab. ] Wet and soft; easily penetrated by the feet of cattle; -- said of land [ 1913 Webster ]