poke borax

Etymology
From or, probably by substitution of the unfamiliar word, by the law of Hobson-Jobson.

Verb

 * 1)  To ridicule.
 * 2) * 1975, New Zealand House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, |pokes|poking|poked+borax%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&dq=%22poke|pokes|poking|poked+borax%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hCPgT6WZHcLYigeElO2UCg&redir_esc=y page 3399,
 * Hon. S. J. Faulkner—You see, as long as the people concerned are not political, it is O.K. But members opposite want to poke borax at people who dare to have a different view from that of the Leader of the Opposition.
 * 1) * 1991, Maud Cahill, Christine Dann (editors), Changing Our Lives: Women Working in the Women′s Liberation Movement, 1970-1990, Bridget Williams Books, New Zealand, |pokes|poking|poked+borax%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&dq=%22poke|pokes|poking|poked+borax%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hCPgT6WZHcLYigeElO2UCg&redir_esc=y page 74,
 * It was an acceptable way of poking borax at unions for being so bloody backward.
 * Hon. S. J. Faulkner—You see, as long as the people concerned are not political, it is O.K. But members opposite want to poke borax at people who dare to have a different view from that of the Leader of the Opposition.
 * 1) * 1991, Maud Cahill, Christine Dann (editors), Changing Our Lives: Women Working in the Women′s Liberation Movement, 1970-1990, Bridget Williams Books, New Zealand, |pokes|poking|poked+borax%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&dq=%22poke|pokes|poking|poked+borax%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hCPgT6WZHcLYigeElO2UCg&redir_esc=y page 74,
 * It was an acceptable way of poking borax at unions for being so bloody backward.