The word "poteat" is a rare, obsolete term that means "to drink to excess." Its orthography (spelling) is influenced by its pronunciation, which is transcribed as /poʊˈtiːt/ in IPA. This transcription indicates that the first syllable is pronounced with a long "o" sound, followed by a stressed short "i" sound. The final syllable has a soft "t" sound, which could be easily confused with a "d" sound by English speakers. The spelling of "poteat," therefore, reflects its unusual stress pattern and unusual combination of vowel sounds.