Poach (cooking)
Etymology
From Old French "pochier" (to enclose in a bag or pocket), from "poche" (pocket) — a poached egg’s white forms a pocket around the yolk.
Poaching as illegal hunting is a separate word — from a French root meaning to trespass or thrust in, the idea of bagging something on the sly.
verb · /POHCH/
To cook food gently in liquid kept just below a simmer.
What it names
The tender, low-heat method behind soft eggs, delicate fish, and silky chicken — cooking without violence or browning.
Example
Slide the eggs into barely trembling water and poach them until the whites just set.
Related idea
Gentler than braise: poaching keeps delicate food in plain, quiet liquid, while braising uses higher heat and a browning step to transform tougher cuts.
verb · /POHCH/
To catch or hunt game, fish, or protected animals illegally, especially on someone else’s land.
What it names
illegal taking of wildlife
Example
Elephants are still poached for their ivory.
Related idea
Poaching thins the wildlife of the savanna and beyond.
verb · /POHCH/
To lure away and take for oneself another’s employees, customers, or ideas.
What it names
the taking of what belongs to a rival
Example
The startup poached three engineers from its biggest competitor.
Related idea
A figurative extension of poaching game — taking what is not yours to take, sometimes to install a hidden ringer.