pole1

 
Pronunciation: /pəʊl/

noun

  • 1a long, slender, rounded piece of wood or metal, typically used with one end placed in the ground as a support for something: a tent pole
  • a young tree with a straight slender trunk and no lower branches: new poles should be protected from grazing livestock
  • short for ski pole.
  • a wooden shaft fitted to the front of a cart or carriage drawn by animals and attached to their yokes or collars.
  • a simple fishing rod: they tell you on the tin that their tuna is entirely caught with pole and line

verb

[with object]
  • propel (a boat) by pushing a pole against the bottom of a river, canal, or lake: the boatman appeared, poling a small gondola [no object]: they poled slowly across to the other bank

Phrases

under bare poles

Sailing with no sail set: if it really blows you’ll end up under bare poles

up the pole

informal
  • 1British mad: taxes can be enough to drive you up the pole
  • 2chiefly Irish pregnant: young Sharon’s after getting herself up the pole

Origin:

late Old English pāl (in early use without reference to thickness or length), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch paal and German Pfahl, based on Latin palus 'stake'

Do not confuse pole with poll. Pole means 'a long, thin piece of metal or wood' or 'a point at the opposite end to another' ( she and Tom were poles apart in temperament), whereas poll means 'the process of voting in an election' ( voters go to the polls next week) or 'record someone’s vote or opinion'.