26984 words

pocket

32 definitions • 52 examples
1
a small bag for carrying things in, made of cloth and sewn into the inside or onto the outside of a piece of clothing:

Examples:

a jacket/trouser/coat pocket
a hip/breast pocket
in/into someone's pocket She thrust her hands deep in/into her pockets.
from/out of someone’s pocket He took some coins from/out of his pocket.
2
a container, usually made of cloth, that is sewn into or onto a bag or attached to a seat or door in a vehicle:

Examples:

Sarah put her maps in the outside pocket of her rucksack.
pocket of The safety instructions are in the pocket of the seat in front of you.
3
one of several holes around the edge of a billiard or snooker table, into which balls are hit
4
the amount of money that someone has for spending:

Examples:

deep pockets You need deep pockets (= a lot of money) if you're involved in a long law suit.
out of your own pocket I paid for my ticket out of my own pocket (= with my own money), but I can claim the cost of it back from my employer.
5
a group, area, or mass of something that is separate and different from what surrounds it:

Examples:

pocket of Among the staff there are some pockets of resistance to the planned changes (= some small groups of them are opposed).
The pilot said that we were going to encounter a pocket of turbulence (= an area of violently moving air).
6
in American football, the space behind the two offensive tackles where a quarterback stands when a play (= period of action) begins:

Examples:

the pocket The defender broke through and chased the quarterback out of the pocket.
If the defence can collapse the pocket, it puts pressure on the quarterback to throw the ball quickly.
7
a space between the teeth and the gums (= the firm pink flesh inside the mouth, covering the bones into which the teeth are fixed) that can contain bacteria that cause disease :

Examples:

periodontal pocket Studies show that people with deep periodontal pockets between their teeth and gums should have them cleaned by a dental hygienist every 3-4 months.
In periodontitis, gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces (called “pockets”) that become infected.
8
to put something into your pocket:

Examples:

He carefully pocketed his change.
9
to hit a billiard or snooker ball into a pocket:

Examples:

Davis pocketed the black to win the game.
10
to take something for yourself, especially dishonestly:

Examples:

I'll tell them I sold it for £20, not £25, then I can pocket the rest.
11
used to describe something that is small enough to put in your pocket, or that you regularly carry in your pocket:

Examples:

a pocket dictionary
a pocket diary
a pocket calculator
12
smaller than usual:

Examples:

a pocket battleship
13
a small bag, usually made of cloth, sewn on the inside or outside of a piece of clothing and used to hold small objects:

Examples:

She took her keys out of her pocket.
I paid for my ticket out of my own pocket (= with my own money).
14
A pocket is also a small container that is part of or attached to something else:

Examples:

The map is in the pocket on the car door.
15
In the game of pool, the pockets are the holes around the edge of the table into which the balls are hit.
16
a small part of something larger that is considered separate because of a particular quality:

Examples:

17
small enough to be kept in a pocket:

Examples:

a pocket diary
a pocket watch
18
to put something in your pocket, or (fig.) to take money esp. when it has been obtained unfairly or illegally:

Examples:

He pocketed his change.
fig. Some sold nonexistent land and pocketed all the cash.
19
used to talk about the amount of money that a person or an organization has for spending:

Examples:

come from/out of sb's pocket The cost of fixing flaws comes out of the contractor's pocket.
put cash/money into sb's pockets This is significant because it puts more cash into people's pockets.
He will have to dig deep into the taxpayer's pocket to finance the required investment in the country's rail infrastructure.
This is beyond the pockets of most homeowners.
20
a group, area, or part of something which is separate and different from what surrounds it:

Examples:

Outside of manufacturing, there are pockets of our economy that continue to perform well.
21
to be under the control of a person, an organization, etc.:

Examples:

At the heart of the scandal is the suggestion that supposedly independent brokers are in the pocket of the insurers which are theoretically competing.
22
a lot of money:

Examples:

In this market, you need to have deep pockets.
The two companies will survive any downturn because of their large market shares, strong technology, and deep pockets.
23
using your own personal money, and not the money of a company or an organization:

Examples:

Managers have donated €80,000 from their own pockets to help the company fund its campaign.
24
to make a person or an organization pay for something:

Examples:

The shareholders have been hit in the pocket.
25
to get richer or make someone richer, especially by acting unfairly or by being dishonest:

Examples:

He was not accused of lining his own pockets.
26
having less money than you had previously or should have, as a result of something such as a business deal:

Examples:

The company is out of pocket to the tune of $18 million.
The limit on his pension would be irrespective of how fast prices are rising, meaning he could be out of pocket in real terms.
leave sb out of pocket Charities fear that an interruption to the lottery could leave them out of pocket.
27
if you pay out of pocket for medical treatment, you pay for the cost of treatment that is not included in your insurance:

Examples:

According to the report, families are paying about $1,500 more out of pocket than six years ago
28
to spend money or give money to someone:

Examples:

The landlord insisted that the tenant should put his hand in his pocket and pay for the repairs.
29
to earn or win an amount of money:

Examples:

The company now pockets £44 million profit a year.
Even relatively junior traders were pocketing huge bonuses.
30
to take money for yourself in a dishonest way, especially when you are responsible for looking after it:

Examples:

The two men were indicted for pocketing tens of millions of dollars.
31
to keep the extra money made from a financial deal, often in a dishonest way:

Examples:

They purchased homes with loans above the asking price so they could pocket the difference.
32
relating to something that is small enough to be put or carried in your pocket:

Examples:

a pocket computer/pager/PC
a pocket calculator/diary/organiser

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