pouque

Norman

Alternative forms

• puk (Sark)

Etymology

From Old Northern French poque, puque (compare Old French puche, modern French poche), from Old Norse poki. Compare also English pocket, poke (noun) from the same source through Anglo-Norman.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Jersey):

  (file)

Noun

pouque f (plural pouques)

1. (Jersey, Normandy) bag
   • 1903, Edgar MacCulloch, “Proverbs, Weather Sayings, etc.”, in Guernsey Folk Lore‎, page 537:

     A flleur de Mars—ni pouque ni sac;
     A flleur d'Avril—pouque et baril;
     A flleur de Mai—barrique et touné.

     Blossom in March requires neither bag nor sac;
     Blossom in April fills bag and barrel;
     Blossom in May fills hogshead and tun.

2. (Jersey, anatomy) scrotum
3. (Guernsey) traditionally, one of the little people, an impish character

Derived terms

• pouque à bathi, pouque à bostchot (“bin liner”)
• pouque à dormi (“sleeping bag”)
• pouque à pais (“beanbag”)
• pouque à thée (“teabag”)
• pouque à vent (“set of bagpipes”)
• pouque en papi (“paper bag”)
• pouque en plastique (“plastic bag”)
• pouquelée (“bagful”)