pocket

I UK [ˈpɒkɪt] / US [ˈpɑkɪt] noun [countable]
Word forms "pocket":
singular pocket plural pockets
***

1) a small bag that forms part of a piece of clothing and is used for holding small objects

The money had fallen out of a hole in my pocket.

a trouser/shirt/coat pocket

a top pocket (= on the front of a jacket)

a back pocket (= of a pair of trousers)

He slipped his wallet into an inside pocket (= of his jacket).

put something into/take something out of a pocket:

She had put her hands in her pockets to keep them warm.

turn out/empty your pockets:

The police officer asked us to empty our pockets.

a) a small bag or other container that forms part of an object, for example a bag

The safety instructions are in the pocket of the seat in front of you.

She put the money in a zipped pocket of her handbag.

b) a hole with a small string bag fitted below it in the side of a billiard, pool, or snooker table that you try to hit a ball into

Hit the ball into one of the side pockets.

2) a supply of money that is available for spending

out of/from your own pocket (= using your own money, not your company's):

Our boss expects us to pay for the trip out of our own pockets.

deep pockets (= a lot of available money):

It's a company with very deep pockets.

to suit every pocket:

We have prices to suit every pocket.

3) a small area which has a particular quality that makes it different from the areas around it

pocket of:

There are still pockets of resistance to the government forces.

•

be/live in each other's pockets — British to spend too much time together; British to not have enough space to live with each other in a way that is comfortable

- be in pocket

- be out of pocket

- have someone in your pocket

- have something in your pocket

- in someone's pocket

- put your hand in your pocket

See:

burn I, line II, pick I

II UK [ˈpɒkɪt] / US [ˈpɑkɪt] adjective

small enough to fit into your pocket

a pocket dictionary

a pocket diary

III UK [ˈpɒkɪt] / US [ˈpɑkɪt] verb [transitive]
Word forms "pocket":
present tense I/you/we/they pocket he/she/it pockets present participle pocketing past tense pocketed past participle pocketed

1)

a) to put something into your pocket

b) to put something into your pocket in order to steal it

I'm sure I saw him pocketing your mobile phone.

2) to take money for yourself that does not belong to you, especially when you are responsible for looking after it

He said the officials pocketed some of the taxes they collected.

3) to win or get an amount of money

Hendry pocketed a first prize of £110,000.

4) to hit a ball into a pocket in billiards, pool, or snooker

•

- pocket the difference