Definition
To deliberately aggravate somebody, especially somebody in a position of power or authority.
To deliberately anger Russia or the Russian government.
Origins
The second sense refers to the use of bears to represent Russia, as a shortening of the idiom "poke the Russian bear" (to anger or threaten Russia and start a war with Russia).
In Context
- "Throughout my training I witnessed several doctors run out of town because their honesty and outspokenness began to poke the bear."
- "His advice to Zuckerberg, the Times later reported, was “Don’t poke the bear”—avoid incurring the wrath of Trump and his supporters."