2. One of several bags attached to a billiard table, into
which the balls are driven.
3. A large bag or sack used in packing various articles, as
ginger, hops, cowries, etc.
Note: 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.
4. (Arch.) A hole or space covered by a movable piece of
board, as in a floor, boxing, partitions, or the like.
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.
6. (Nat.) A strip of canvas, sewn upon a sail so that a
batten or a light spar can placed in the interspace.
7. (Zo["o]l.) Same as {Pouch}.
Note: Pocket is often used adjectively, or in the formation
of compound words usually of obvious signification; as,
pocket comb, pocket compass, pocket edition, pocket
handkerchief, pocket money, pocket picking, or
pocket-picking, etc.
{Out of pocket}. See under {Out}, prep.
{Pocket borough}, a borough ``owned'' by some person. See
under {Borough}. [Eng.]
{Pocket gopher} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of
American rodents of the genera {Geomys}, and {Thomomys},
family {Geomyd[ae]}. 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} (Zo["o]l.), any species of American mice of
the family {Saccomyid[ae]}. 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.
He would pocket the expense of the license.
--Sterne.
2. To take clandestinely or fraudulently.
He pocketed pay in the names of men who had long
been dead. --Macaulay.
{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.