moke

“Moke” is mostly a noun, not a verb. In British slang, it usually means a donkey, and from that it can also mean a foolish or stubborn person. In Australian English, it can mean a poor or worn-out horse. In Hawaii, it is informal slang for a tough local man, though the tone can be friendly, joking, or rude depending on who says it. You may also see the word with a capital letter in names such as the Mini Moke or Moke, a small open-top utility car.

“Moke” has a few different lives in English, and most of them begin with the old British slang sense: a donkey. From there, it also came to mean a foolish, dull, or stubborn person, much like calling someone a donkey. In Australian slang, it can refer to an inferior horse or a worn-out nag. These are the most established dictionary meanings.

The word also appears in regional slang. In Hawaii, “moke” often refers to a tough local man, and the meaning can shift with context. Among friends, it may sound playful or proud; from an outsider, it can sound mocking or stereotyped. Because of that, tone and setting matter.

You may also meet the word as part of a vehicle name: the Mini Moke, later also sold simply as the Moke, a small open-top utility car. That is a proper name rather than the basic dictionary meaning of the word. There is also an older offensive racial slur in historical US usage, but it is dated and should not be used. Overall, the safest core meaning to remember is the British slang sense of “donkey,” along with the extended idea of a foolish or stubborn person.