Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - pocket

~1 n 1 »IN CLOTHES« a small bag sewn onto or into a coat, trousers etc so that you can put things such as money or keys into it  (Joseph always stands with his hands in his pockets. | coat/trouser/jacket etc pocket)  (The keys are in my coat pocket. | turn out your pockets (=empty your pockets)) 2 »MONEY« the amount of money available for you to spend  (When will the new taxes start hitting people's pockets?. | suit every pocket)  (We offer a range of repayment plans to suit every pocket. | from/out of your own pocket (=using your own money instead of money from your company, the government etc))  (The prince offered to pay for the restoration out of his own pocket.) have deep pockets (=have a lot of money) 3 »IN A BAG/DOOR ETC« a small bag or piece of material fastened to an object so that you can put small things into it  (All passengers should read the air safety card in the pocket of the seat in front.) 4 »SMALL AREA/AMOUNT« a) a small area where the situation is very different from the area surrounding it  (Apart from a few pockets of resistance, the new government is firmly established. | a poor country dotted with pockets of wealth) b) a small amount of something that is different from what surrounds it  (The mine has a few remaining pockets of iron ore.) 5 be/live in each other's pockets informal, especially BrE if two people are in each other's pockets, they are together too much 6 have sb/sth in your pocket a) to be able to control someone such as a police officer or politician, by threatening them, paying them money etc  (a powerful organization with many local politicians in its pockets) b) to be very sure that you are going to win something such as a competition or election  (It looks like the Democrats have this election in their pockets already.) 7 be out of pocket BrE informal to have less money than you should have, after some form of exchange or business deal  (Unless you handle the deal carefully, you could be badly out of pocket. | -10/-50 etc out of pocket)  (Selling the car so cheaply left her -100 out of pocket.) 8 pick sb's pocket to steal from someone by taking money from their pocket without them realizing 9 put your hand in your pocket to give money to someone who needs it or in order to help someone  (I hope everyone will put their hands in their pockets and give generously to the fund.) 10 »FOR BALLS« a small net bag fastened to a billiard or snooker table which you have to hit the ball into  (- see also airpocket, line your own pockets line2 (4)) ~2 v 1 to put something into your pocket  (Roy pocketed his wallet and car keys and left the house.) 2 a) to steal money, especially money that you are responsible for  (The society's treasurer was accused of pocketing some of the profits.) b) to get money in a slightly dishonest way  (It's simple - we buy them for $5, sell them for $8, and pocket the difference.) 3 to hit a ball into a pocket in games such as billiards ~3 adj only before noun small enough to be carried in your pocket  (a pocket dictionary)