puncture
the act of piercing or perforating, as with a pointed instrument or object.
a hole or mark so made.
Zoology. a small pointlike depression.
to pierce or perforate, as with a pointed instrument: to puncture leather with an awl.
to make (a hole, perforation, etc.) by piercing or perforating: He punctured a row of holes in the cardboard.
to make a puncture in: A piece of glass punctured the tire.
to reduce or diminish as if by piercing; damage; wound: to puncture a person's pride.
to cause to collapse or disintegrate; spoil; ruin: to puncture one's dream of success.
to become punctured: These tires do not puncture easily.
Origin of puncture
1Other words for puncture
Other words from puncture
- punc·tur·a·ble, adjective
- punc·ture·less, adjective
- punc·tur·er, noun
- non·punc·tur·a·ble, adjective
- un·punc·tured, adjective
Words Nearby puncture
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use puncture in a sentence
The hood fits over a helmet, and its three-layer construction and 20-denier fabric prevent punctures from sharp equipment or snags.
A metal stand with rigid edges and sharp surfaces can ding headbands and puncture ear pads.
The best headphone stands for audiophiles, gamers, and anyone with a desk | Irena Collaku | July 23, 2021 | Popular-ScienceIn fact, we have some fossils with puncture marks in the back of the head.
In that research, tattooed lines in fresh slabs of pig skin were produced by a series of punctures with tools that had tips coated in a homemade ink.
The oldest known tattoo tools were found at an ancient Tennessee site | Bruce Bower | May 25, 2021 | Science NewsIt’s not true that plies used in those tires can lead to more punctures.
She wants to puncture all of the caricatures that blunt the harsh reality of Eichmann.
Nothing Was Banal About Eichmann’s Evil, Says a Scathing New Biography | Michael Signer | October 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTSo any response has to make him hurt, personally; it has to puncture his ego, his pride.
Some of those pieces of metal also exited his body, bringing his puncture total to 20.
If your campaign is built on inevitability, a puncture can take you down.
Romney Losing His Mojo After Caucus, Primary Losses to Santorum | Howard Kurtz | February 9, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTBy presenting us with a workable plan, the president will be able to puncture that fear.
One of these is filled to a depth of about one-fourth inch from a puncture in the finger, and is set aside for a few hours.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell ToddExamination of the fluid obtained by lumbar puncture is of value in diagnosis of certain forms of meningitis.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell ToddShould he snap at the rear wheel and puncture the tire—Matt's thoughts could not carry the danger further.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. MatthewsWhere evidence warrants it corpses are subjected to microscopic and meticulous search to locate a hypodermic puncture.
Each puncture and tiny grotto was filled with it, and a sloping cap of shimmering snow spread over the summit.
The Home of the Blizzard | Douglas Mawson
British Dictionary definitions for puncture
/ (ˈpʌŋktʃə) /
a small hole made by a sharp object
a perforation and loss of pressure in a pneumatic tyre, made by sharp stones, glass, etc
the act of puncturing or perforating
(tr) to pierce (a hole) in (something) with a sharp object
to cause (something pressurized, esp a tyre) to lose pressure by piercing, or (of a tyre, etc) to be pierced and collapse in this way
(tr) to depreciate (a person's self-esteem, pomposity, etc)
Origin of puncture
1Derived forms of puncture
- puncturable, adjective
- puncturer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse