slow-poke, you

   An American variant of ‘slow-coach’, used of a person who is moving too slowly, according to the speaker. The ‘poke’ is difficult to explain, but may refer to the slow movement of a poke-horse, where ‘poke’ refers to the packs, or bags, being carried. The ‘bag’ sense of ‘poke’ links with French poche, ‘pocket.’ In Gone With The Wind, by Margaret Mitchell, occurs: ‘Prissy sauntered down the walk at a snail’s gait. “Hurry, you slow-poke.”’