Probably imitative; or, alternatively related to Proto-Germanic *pukaną (“to spit, puff”), from Proto-Indo-European *bew- (“to blow, swell”). If so, then related to German pfauchen, fauchen (“to hiss, spit”), Dutch spugen (“to spit, spit up”), German spucken (“to spit, puke, throw up”), and Old English spīwan (“to vomit, spit”). More at spew.
Attested as early as 1581, first mention is the derivative pukishness (“the tendency to be sick frequently”). In 1600, "to spit up, regurgitate", recorded in the Seven Ages of Man speech in Shakespeare's As You Like It.
Meanings
(colloquial, uncountable) vomit.
2007, The Guardian, The Guardian Science blog, "The latest in the war on terror: the puke saber"
the puke saber … pulses light over rapidly changing wavelengths, apparently inducing "disorientation, nausea and even vomiting"
(colloquial, countable) A drug that induces vomiting.
"at 8 a.m. took a puke of vinum antimoniale; which operated very kindly; was very weak the remainder of the day." 1776, Physician Lewis Beebe, Diary of a Revolutionary Army Physician:
(colloquial, countable) A worthless, despicable person.
(US, countable, derogatory, slang) A person from Missouri.
"Pukes" and "suckers" had badly mauled the Saints, the first pummeling them from Missouri and the second from Illinois. 2009, Clive Scott Chisholm, Following the Wrong God Home: Footloose in an American Dream:
Probably imitative; or, alternatively related to Proto-Germanic *pukaną (“to spit, puff”), from Proto-Indo-European *bew- (“to blow, swell”). If so, then related to German pfauchen, fauchen (“to hiss, spit”), Dutch spugen (“to spit, spit up”), German spucken (“to spit, puke, throw up”), and Old English spīwan (“to vomit, spit”). More at spew.
Attested as early as 1581, first mention is the derivative pukishness (“the tendency to be sick frequently”). In 1600, "to spit up, regurgitate", recorded in the Seven Ages of Man speech in Shakespeare's As You Like It.
Meanings
(ambitransitive, colloquial) To vomit; to throw up; to eject from the stomach.
At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii]:
I obſerue our Ducheſſe / Is ſicke a dayes, ſhe puykes, her ſtomacke ſeethes, […] 1612–1613 (date written), John Webster, The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy. […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, for Iohn Waterson, […], published 1623, →OCLC, Act II, scene i, signature D2, recto:
Unfortunately, he could not hold it long enough till the end of the ride, so he puked on the bus seat.
(intransitive, slang) To sell securities or investments at a loss, often under duress or pressure, in order to satisfy liquidity or margin requirements, or out of a desire to exit a deteriorating market.
Puke-stocking caddis garter c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
(uncountable) A very dark, dull, brownish-red color.