2007-08-20 08:14:38 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
pokey (jail) -- Something that's pokey is small and insignificant -- hence confining. If you land in the pokey, you are in a very small and confining place.
From:
Loose Cannons, Red Herrings & Other Lost Metaphors
by Robert Claiborne, 1986-87
2007-08-20 08:42:20 · answer #1 · answered by Beach Saint 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The etymology for "Pokey" is: origin unknown
slang : JAIL
pokey (n.) "jail," 1919, perhaps altered from pogie "poorhouse" (1891), of unknown origin.
2007-08-20 11:42:16 · answer #2 · answered by The Corinthian 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
jails use to have the office right next to set of bars so you were always watching the criminals and they watched you. And if you were sleeping and they wanted you up and out or just to harass you they'd poke you. the cops or sheriff or whatever arent gonna get close enough to the bars for a criminal to grab them.
2007-08-20 19:40:33 · answer #3 · answered by DLT 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
perhaps altered from pogie "poorhouse"
2007-08-20 08:24:54 · answer #4 · answered by jurydoc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
=O...need a I say more ?
2007-08-20 08:23:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋