n. [ OE. poket, Prov. F. & OF. poquette, F. pochette, dim. fr. poque, pouque, F. poche; probably of Teutonic origin. See Poke a pocket, and cf. Poach to cook eggs, to plunder, and Pouch. ] 1. A bag or pouch; especially; a small bag inserted in a garment for carrying small articles, particularly money; hence, figuratively, money; wealth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of several bags attached to a billiard table, into which the balls are driven. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A large bag or sack used in packing various articles, as ginger, hops, cowries, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the wool or hop trade, the pocket contains half a sack, or about 168 Ibs.; but it is a variable quantity, the articles being sold by actual weight. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Arch.) A hole or space covered by a movable piece of board, as in a floor, boxing, partitions, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mining.) (a) A cavity in a rock containing a nugget of gold, or other mineral; a small body of ore contained in such a cavity. (b) A hole containing water. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Nat.) A strip of canvas, sewn upon a sail so that a batten or a light spar can placed in the interspace. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Zool.) Same as Pouch. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Any hollow place suggestive of a pocket in form or use; specif.: (a) A bin for storing coal, grain, etc. (b) A socket for receiving the foot of a post, stake, etc. (c) A bight on a lee shore. (d) a small cavity in the body, especially one abnormally filled with a fluid; as, a pocket of pus. (e) (Dentistry) a small space between a tooth and the adjoining gum, formed by an abnormal separation of the gum from the tooth. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

9. An isolated group or area which has properties in contrast to the surrounding area; as, a pocket of poverty in an affluent region; pockets of resistance in a conquered territory; a pocket of unemployment in a booming ecomony. [ PJC ]

10. (Football) The area from which a quarterback throws a pass, behind the line of scrimmage, delineated by the defensive players of his own team who protect him from attacking opponents; as, he had ample time in the pocket to choose an open receiver. [ PJC ]

11. (Baseball) The part of a baseball glove covering the palm of the wearer's hand. [ PJC ]

12. (Bowling) the space between the head pin and one of the pins in the second row, considered as the optimal point at which to aim the bowling ball in order to get a strike. [ PJC ]

☞ Pocket is often used adjectively in the sense of small, or in the formation of compound words usually of obvious signification; as, pocket knife, pocket comb, pocket compass, pocket edition, pocket handkerchief, pocket money, pocket picking, or pocket-picking, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

deep pocket or
deep pockets, wealth or substantial financial assets. Used esp. in legal actions, where plaintiffs desire to find a defendant with "deep pockets", so as to be able to actually obtain the sum of damages which may be judged due to him. This contrasts with a "judgment-proof" defendant, one who has neither assets nor insurance, and against whom a judgment for monetary damages would be uncollectable and worthless. --
Out of pocket. See under Out, prep. --
Pocket borough, a borough “owned” by some person. See under Borough. [ Eng. ] --
Pocket gopher (Zool.), any one of several species of American rodents of the genera Geomys, and Thomomys, family Geomydæ. They have large external cheek pouches, and are fossorial in their habits. they inhabit North America, from the Mississippi Valley west to the Pacific. Called also pouched gopher. --
Pocket mouse (Zool.), any species of American mice of the family Saccomyidæ. They have external cheek pouches. Some of them are adapted for leaping (genus Dipadomys), and are called kangaroo mice. They are native of the Southwestern United States, Mexico, etc. --
Pocket piece, a piece of money kept in the pocket and not spent. --
Pocket pistol, a pistol to be carried in the pocket. --
Pocket sheriff (Eng. Law), a sheriff appointed by the sole authority of the crown, without a nomination by the judges in the exchequer. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pocketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pocketing. ] 1. To put, or conceal, in the pocket; as, to pocket the change. [ 1913 Webster ]

He would pocket the expense of the license. Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To take clandestinely or fraudulently. [ 1913 Webster ]

He pocketed pay in the names of men who had long been dead. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

To pocket a ball (Billiards), to drive a ball into a pocket of the table. --
To pocket an insult,
affront, etc., to receive an affront without open resentment, or without seeking redress. “I must pocket up these wrongs.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Any hollow place suggestive of a pocket in form or use; specif.: (a) A bin for strong coal, grain, etc. (b) A socket for receiving the foot of a post, stake, etc. (c) A bright on a lee shore. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A small book or case for carrying papers, money, etc., in the pocket; also, a notebook for the pocket. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Pocketfuls As much as a pocket will hold; enough to fill a pocket; as, pocketfuls of chestnuts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. -knives A knife with one or more blades, which fold into the handle so as to admit of being carried in the pocket. [ 1913 Webster ]

. The retention by the President of the United States of a bill unsigned so that it does not become a law, in virtue of the following constitutional provision (Const. Art. I., sec. 7, cl. 2): “If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.” Also, an analogous retention of a bill by a State governor. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]