Past tense of poke: to jab or prod someone or something with a finger, stick, or pointed object.
From Middle Low German 'poken' or Middle Dutch origins, the word has been used since the 14th century. It's imitative in nature, mimicking the quick jabbing motion.
When you 'poke' someone on social media, you're using ancient slang in a digital way—the original 'poke' was literally poking someone to get their attention, and somehow tech companies recreated that exact gesture online!
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