A game from the TV Show "Scrubs" where two people passive-aggressively make fun of a person standing nearby, slowly getting more and more critical/personal with the person. The game ends when the person tries to call you on insulting them, or one of the players makes nervous eye contact with the person, giving it away.
Example of Poke the bear:
(Dr. Cox enters the room from the room of a patient he cannot diagnose)
J.D.: So Turk, yesterday i had this patient I could just not diagnose.
Turk: Wow you must have felt like a real jackass.
J.D.: I did feel like a jackass, but then I was able to figure out what was wrong with them because I'm not a jackass, I'm a good doctor... Oh hey Dr. Cox, how are things?
(Dr. Cox enters the room from the room of a patient he cannot diagnose)
J.D.: So Turk, yesterday i had this patient I could just not diagnose.
Turk: Wow you must have felt like a real jackass.
J.D.: I did feel like a jackass, but then I was able to figure out what was wrong with them because I'm not a jackass, I'm a good doctor... Oh hey Dr. Cox, how are things?
by bearpoke92 March 22, 2009
Get the Poke the bear mug.by ∪･ｪ･∪ May 24, 2018
Get the Poke the Bear mug.by funguslordlaw December 3, 2021
Get the Poke the Bear mug.A phrase of warning used to prevent oneself or others from asking or doing something that might provoke a negative response from someone or something else.
Employee 1: "Should I ask the boss for a day off?"
Employee 2: "He just found out his wife left him, so don't poke the bear."
Employee 2: "He just found out his wife left him, so don't poke the bear."
by Ken Brenan 2 April 27, 2008
Get the don't poke the bear mug.A phrase uttered to ward off people who are needlessly angering, upseting, or annoying you... sometimes even going out of the way to do so. A different way to warn people that they're on thin ice, or that a joke is going too far.
John, eating pancakes: Ughh, these are terrible...
Macy: I'm sorry I tried not to burn them this time...
John, laughing: The syrup isn't even seeping in!
Macy: Hey, you never cook so don't complain!
John, still giggling, takes another bite and makes a gagging sound
Macy: Hey, don't poke the bear!
Macy: I'm sorry I tried not to burn them this time...
John, laughing: The syrup isn't even seeping in!
Macy: Hey, you never cook so don't complain!
John, still giggling, takes another bite and makes a gagging sound
Macy: Hey, don't poke the bear!
by bahalaugh January 24, 2011
Get the don't poke the bear mug.Business folks say this to 1) imply they can do favors, affect change, etc. and 2) sound macho.
Especially common among grown-up douchebro yuppie types.
Especially common among grown-up douchebro yuppie types.
Hydrogen fuel cells aren't a development priority this quarter? Let me see if I can poke the right bears to get this done.
by unicodebandito May 9, 2017
Get the Poke the right bears mug.