Link Centre Dictionary

pore

UK/pɔː(ɹ)/ US/poɹ/ uncommon

noun

1.

any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)

2.

any small opening in the skin or outer surface of an animal

3.

a minute epidermal pore in a leaf or stem through which gases and water vapor can pass

Synonyms

verb

1.

direct one''s attention on something

  • “Please focus on your studies and not on your hobbies”

Origin

From Middle English poren, pouren, puren (“to gaze intently, look closely”), from Old English *pūrian, from Proto-West Germanic *pūrōn, suggested by Old English spyrian (“to investigate, examine”). Akin to Saterland Frisian puurje (“to question, investigate; pry, prod”), West Frisian poarje (“to poke, prod”), Middle Dutch poren (“to pore, look”), Dutch porren (“to poke, prod, stir, encourage, endeavour, attempt”), Low German purren (“to poke, stir”), Danish purre (“to poke, stir, rouse”), dialectal Swedish pora, pura, påra (“to work slowly and gradually, work deliberately”), Old English spor (“track, trace, vestige”). Compare also Middle English puren, piren (“to look, peer”). See peer.

Phrases

  • abdominal pore
  • anal pore
  • apical germ pore
  • germ pore
  • nuclear pore complex
  • pore over
  • pore space
  • pore strip
  • pore water pressure

Related words

Broader terms

Parts

Related verbs

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.