the pokey

the pokey

old-fashioned slang Prison or jail, or a cell within one. The officer decided to put the drunken college student in the pokey for the night to sober up. A new sheriff arrived into town, and before long the pokey was overrun with criminals.
See also: pokey
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

pokey

verb
See poky
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • pokey hat
  • poky
  • pokey
  • keep (one) on a tight leash
  • all (one's) life is worth
  • cold sober
  • stone sober
  • all (one's) life's worth
  • dry
  • goggle
References in classic literature
The bride and bridegroom talk and laugh apart, as has always been their manner; and the Buffers work their way through the dishes with systematic perseverance, as has always been THEIR manner; and the pokey unknowns are exceedingly benevolent to one another in invitations to take glasses of champagne; but Mrs Podsnap, arching her mane and rocking her grandest, has a far more deferential audience than Mrs Veneering; and Podsnap all but does the honours.
Another objectionable circumstance is, that the pokey unknowns support each other in being unimpressible.
It is to be published by Cranachan, a non-fiction title for eight-12s under the Pokey Hat imprint.
LAW LEGEND Joe Beltrami The cry "Get me Beltrami!" was a familiar one not just for those who felt attaining the services of Scotland's most famous legal eagle would keep them out of the pokey but used in jest by anyone who felt unfairly accused.
YOU SAID: What on earth are they holding this in the pokey little Middlesbrough Theatre?
Jennifer Welford, 27, left Glasgow Housing Association two years ago to launch online retailers The Pokey Hat.
Greg Rand, chief executive officer at Aspen Exploration, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison in July, but we're not sure when he has to report to the pokey.
Leave the farce till last If we must have eight-race cards, could we put the pokey two-runner races, like the one at Salisbury, on the end so punters don't have to sit through the farce and can head home at a proper time?
However, Judge Revel could indeed throw her in the pokey for missing three alcohol ed classes as of her last court appearance.
From the early morning wakeup in the pokey accommodation, to the regimented competitions and organised sporting events, it's all a bit creepily reminiscent of something horrific.
The pokey pad in Chelsea costs the same price as the average UK home, but potential buyers would need to spend another pounds 30,000 to make the cramped basement liveable.
The pokey 11ft by 7ft pad costs the same price as the average UK home.
I doubt she's drinking much Moscato in the pokey, where she's serving a year-plus sentence for perjury in a 2001 nightclub shoot-out case.
They proceeded to fly the pokey craft as if they were Spitfires, and in a very short time they found themselves organized into squadrons, equipped with the latest fighters, and thrown into the Battle of Britain.
"'Let's go see Nana in the pokey?" I'm not going to risk it."