stokes: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to informal; technical in engineering/nautical contexts.
Quick answer
What does “stokes” mean?
To add fuel to (a fire, furnace, or boiler) to maintain or increase its heat.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To add fuel to (a fire, furnace, or boiler) to maintain or increase its heat.
To encourage or incite (a strong emotion, tendency, or activity); to feed or intensify something, often negatively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is similar, but British English may retain more literal use with coal fires and boilers. American English favors metaphorical use.
Connotations
Both carry connotations of control (managing a fire) or provocation (stirring trouble).
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English in literal contexts; equally common in both in metaphorical use.
Grammar
How to Use “stokes” in a Sentence
[Subject] stokes [Object] (e.g., He stokes the fire.)[Subject] stokes up [Object] (e.g., They stoked up the crowd.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stokes” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He stokes the coal furnace every evening.
- The editorial stokes fears about the economy.
American English
- She stokes the campfire with dry wood.
- His rhetoric stokes division among voters.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; may appear in metaphors about 'stoking growth' or 'stoking investor interest'.
Academic
Used in social sciences/history to describe intensifying conflicts, emotions, or social movements.
Everyday
Common in contexts of fireplaces, barbecues, or metaphorically for emotions and arguments.
Technical
In engineering/nautical contexts, refers to feeding fuel to a furnace, boiler, or steam engine.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “stokes”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “stokes”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stokes”
- Using intransitively (e.g., 'The fire stokes.') – it requires an object.
- Confusing with adjective 'stoked' (excited).
- Misspelling as 'strokes'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is commonly used metaphorically to mean intensifying any emotion or situation, such as fear, controversy, or conflict.
No, it is a transitive verb and requires a direct object (e.g., stoke WHAT?).
They are synonyms in metaphorical use, but 'stoke' originates from fire-tending, giving a more active, hands-on connotation.
Etymologically, the surname derives from the occupation of a stoker (one who stokes fires), so yes, they share the same root.
To add fuel to (a fire, furnace, or boiler) to maintain or increase its heat.
Stokes is usually neutral to informal; technical in engineering/nautical contexts. in register.
Stokes: in British English it is pronounced /stəʊks/, and in American English it is pronounced /stoʊks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stoke the fires of (something)”
- “stoke up (a feeling or situation)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a STOKER (a person who tends a furnace) POKES the fire to STOKE it.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONS/CONFLICTS ARE FIRE (e.g., 'stoke anger' treats anger as a fire that can be fed).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The rumours stoked anxiety in the community', what is the closest meaning of 'stoked'?