punch
1 (pŭnch)
[Middle English pounce, punche, from Old French poinçon, ponchon; see puncheon1, V., from Middle English pouncen, punchen, to prick, from Old French poinçoner, ponchoner, to emboss with a punch; see punch2.]
noun
- A tool for circular or other piercing: a leather punch.
- A tool for forcing a pin, bolt, or rivet in or out of a hole.
- A tool for stamping a design on a surface.
- A tool for making a countersink.
intr. & tr.v.: punched, punch·ing, punch·es.
- To use a punch or use a punch on.
derivatives
- punch́er
- noun
punch
2 (pŭnch)
[Middle English punchen, to thrust, prod, prick, from Old French poinçonner, ponchonner, to emboss with a punch, from poinçon, ponchon, pointed tool; see puncheon1.]
transitive verb: punched, punch·ing, punch·es.
- To hit with a sharp blow of the fist.
- To poke or prod with a stick.
- Western U.S. To herd (cattle).
- To depress (a key or button, for example) in order to activate a device or perform an operation: punched the “repeat” key; punched in the number on the computer.
- Baseball To hit (a ball) with a quick short swing.
noun
- A blow with the fist.
- Vigor or drive. See synonyms at vigor
phrasal verbs
- punch in
- To check in formally at a job upon arrival.
- punch out
- To check out formally at a job upon departure.
- To knock unconscious with a punch.
- Slang To eject from a military aircraft.
idioms
- beat to the punch
- To make the first decisive move: a marketing team that beat all the competitors to the punch.
derivatives
- punch́less
- adjective
punch
3 (pŭnch)
[Perhaps from Hindi pañc, five, from Sanskrit pañca (from its originally having been prepared from five ingredients).]
noun
- A beverage of fruit juices and sometimes a soft drink or carbonated water, often spiced and mixed with a wine or liquor base.
Punch
(pŭnch)
[Short for Punchinello.]
noun
- The quarrelsome hook-nosed husband of Judy in the comic puppet show Punch and Judy.
idioms
- pleased as Punch
- Highly pleased; gratified.
