pole

UK: 'pole', 'Pole': /ˈpəʊl/

US: /poʊl/

US: 'pole', 'Pole': (pōl)

Inflections of 'pole' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

poles

v 3rd person singular

poling

v pres p

poled

v past

poled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pole¹ /poʊl/   n., v., poled, pol•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a long, rounded, often narrow piece of wood, metal, etc.:
   telephone poles.

v. 

2. Nautical, Naval Terms to push, strike, or move forward with a pole: [~ + object]
   to pole a raft.
   [no object]
   The skier poled forward.

pole² /poʊl/   n. [countable]

1. Geography each of the ends of the axis of the earth or of any rounded body:
   The Earth has two poles.
2. one of two opposite principles, points of interest, etc.:
   at the two poles of the political spectrum.
3. Electricity either of the two parts of an electric battery or magnet that are opposite in charge.

Idioms

4. Idioms poles apart, [be + ~] having widely opposing principles, qualities, etc.:
   On political questions they are poles apart.

Pole /poʊl/  n. [countable]

1. a person born or living in Poland.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pole¹  (pōl), n., v., poled, pol•ing. 
n. 

1. a long, cylindrical, often slender piece of wood, metal, etc.:
   a telephone pole; a fishing pole.
2. Dialect Terms [Northeastern U.S.] a long, tapering piece of wood or other material that extends from the front axle of a vehicle between the animals drawing it.
3. Naval Terms [Naut.]
   • Nautical a light spar.
   • Nautical that part of a mast between the uppermost standing rigging and the truck.
4. Sport the lane of a racetrack nearest to the infield;
   the inside lane. Cf. post ¹ (def. 5).
5. Weights and Measures a unit of length equal to 16½ feet (5 m);
   a rod.
6. Weights and Measures a square rod, 30¼ square yards (25.3 sq. m).
7. Naval Terms under bare poles:
   • , Nautical, Idioms [Naut.] (of a sailing ship) with no sails set, as during a violent storm.
   • Nautical stripped;
     naked;
     destitute:
     The thugs robbed him and left him under bare poles.

v.t. 

8. to furnish with poles.
9. Nautical, Naval Terms to push, strike, or propel with a pole:
   to pole a raft.
10. Sport [Baseball.] to make (an extra-base hit) by batting the ball hard and far:
    He poled a triple to deep right-center.
11. Metallurgy to stir (molten metal, as copper, tin, or zinc) with poles of green wood so as to produce carbon, which reacts with the oxygen present to effect deoxidation.

v.i. 

12. Nautical, Naval Terms to propel a boat, raft, etc., with a pole:
    to pole down the river.

• Latin pālus stake. See pale²
• bef. 1050; Middle English; Old English pāl

pole′less, adj. 

pole²  (pōl), n. 

1. Geography each of the extremities of the axis of the earth or of any spherical body.
2. Astronomy See celestial pole. 
3. one of two opposite or contrasted principles or tendencies:
   His behavior ranges between the poles of restraint and abandon.
4. a point of concentration of interest, attention, etc.:
   The beautiful actress was the pole of everyone's curiosity.
5. Electricity either of the two regions or parts of an electric battery, magnet, or the like, that exhibits electrical or magnetic polarity.
6. Cell Biology
   • either end of an ideal axis in a nucleus, cell, or ovum, about which parts are more or less symmetrically arranged.
   • either end of a spindle-shaped figure formed in a cell during mitosis.
   • the place at which a cell extension or process begins, as a nerve cell axon or a flagellum.
7. Mathematics
   • Mathematics a singular point at which a given function of a complex variable can be expanded in a Laurent series beginning with a specified finite, negative power of the variable.
   • origin (def. 6b).
8. Crystallography a line perpendicular to a crystal face and passing through the crystal center.
9. Idioms poles apart or asunder, having widely divergent or completely opposite attitudes, interests, etc.:
   In education and background they were poles apart.

• Greek pólos pivot, axis, pole
• Latin polus
• Middle English 1350–1400

Pole  (pōl), n. 

1. Biographical, Place Names a native or inhabitant of Poland.

Pole  (pōl), n. 

1. Biographical Reginald, 1500–58, English cardinal and last Roman Catholic archbishop of Canterbury.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pole / pəʊl/ noun

1. a long slender usually round piece of wood, metal, or other material
2. the piece of timber on each side of which a pair of carriage horses are hitched
3. another name for rod7
4. up the pole ⇒ slightly mad
5. mistaken; on the wrong track

verb

1. (transitive) to strike or push with a pole
2. (transitive) to set out (an area of land or garden) with poles
3. to support (a crop, such as hops or beans) on poles
4. to punt (a boat)

Etymology: Old English pāl, from Latin pālus a stake, prop; see pale²

pole / pəʊl/ noun

1. either of the two antipodal points where the earth's axis of rotation meets the earth's surface
   See also North Pole, South Pole
2. either of the two regions at the extremities of a magnet to which the lines of force converge or from which they diverge
3. either end of the axis of a cell, spore, ovum, or similar body
4. either of two mutually exclusive or opposite actions, opinions, etc
5. poles apart, poles asunder ⇒ having widely divergent opinions, tastes, etc

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin polus end of an axis, from Greek polos pivot, axis, pole; related to Greek kuklos circle

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Pole / pəʊl/ noun

1. a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Poland or a speaker of Polish

Pole / pəʊl/ noun

1. Reginald. 1500–58, English cardinal; last Roman Catholic archbishop of Canterbury (1556–58)