stoke

stoke [stəuk US stouk] v also stoke up [T]

[Date: 1600-1700; : Dutch; Origin: stoken]

1.) to add more coal or wood to a fire

▪ I stoked the furnace for the night.

2.) to cause something to increase

▪ Rising oil prices stoked inflation.

stoke fear/anger/envy etc

▪ The scandal has stoked public outrage.

stoke up phr v

1.) stoke sth<=>up

to add more coal or wood to a fire

▪ We kept the fire stoked up high on cold nights.

2.) stoke up sth

if something stokes up fear, anger etc, it makes a lot of people feel frightened etc

▪ The leaflets stoked up fears of an invasion.

3.) stoke up on/with sth

to eat a lot of food, for example because you will not eat again for a long time

▪ We stoked up on hot soup before going out in the snow.