Pokey

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈpoʊ.ki/

Definitions

1. Moving or happening at a slow, plodding pace ; describing a place that is small and confined ; a slang term for a jail or prison
2. Characterized by a lack of speed or quickness ; limited in space or size in an uncomfortable way ; an informal word for a correctional facility
3. Operating in a lethargic or delayed manner ; having restricted or tight quarters ; a colloquial name for a detention center

Etymology: "Pokey" is closely tied to "poke," which long meant a bag or sack. The adjective's older form, "poky," described a small, cramped space, the feeling of being shut inside a sack. The slow sense probably grew from that idea of confinement and dullness, so a poky journey or a poky clerk is one that drags along in a restricted, unhurried way. A second strand may also have fed the meaning. Dialect uses of "poke" for a slow, lazy person are recorded, and the adjective may have picked up that sense. How the bag and the dawdler connect is not fully documented, so the two strands may have merged rather than one giving rise to the other.

Synonyms: slow, sluggish, lethargic

Antonyms: quick, fast