From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpoke around (also poke about British English) phrasal verb informal1 LOOK FORto look for something, especially by moving a lot of things around in James began poking about in the cupboard, looking for the sugar.2 FIND OUTto try to find out information about other people’s private lives, business etc, in a way that annoys them in Stop poking around in my business!3 poke around (something) to spend time in shops, markets etc looking at nothing in particular SYN browse I spent Sunday afternoon poking around an old bookshop. → poke→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
poke around• After that he'd spent a lot of time with Jekub, poking around, finding out about it.• By its light, he poked around in the charred remains of the nestboxes.• In the harsh air she poked around in the flowerpots and bushes by the front door.• Have to find out for himself, no other way, poke around, listen, ask, play it carefully.• Why not let me poke around quietly?• I used to poke around the Internet and see what was new online.• Charles sat on the windowsill as Ward poked around the room.• Fakhru went to the wastebasket and poked around with his finger.poke in• Dan loves poking around in hobby shops, looking for new airplanes.• I'm tired of the press poking around in my private life.• By its light, he poked around in the charred remains of the nestboxes.• In the harsh air she poked around in the flowerpots and bushes by the front door.• I poked around in the kitchen, checking out the fridge, the freezer and the cupboards.poke in• By its light, he poked around in the charred remains of the nestboxes.• In the harsh air she poked around in the flowerpots and bushes by the front door.• I poked around in the kitchen, checking out the fridge, the freezer and the cupboards.poke around (something)• After that he'd spent a lot of time with Jekub, poking around, finding out about it.• By its light, he poked around in the charred remains of the nestboxes.• In the harsh air she poked around in the flowerpots and bushes by the front door.• Have to find out for himself, no other way, poke around, listen, ask, play it carefully.• Why not let me poke around quietly?• I used to poke around the Internet and see what was new online.• Charles sat on the windowsill as Ward poked around the room.• Fakhru went to the wastebasket and poked around with his finger. 