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kidney punch

American  

noun

Boxing.
  1. an illegal punch in the lower back.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“We’re not bleeding. We got a kidney punch, we got the wind knocked out of us, but we’ll get our wind back.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2021

It was an emotional kidney punch and I don’t know how or if I should forgive her.

From Slate • Mar. 8, 2021

‘This SUV is shockingly quick and troublingly fast: 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds—like a supple leather kidney punch.’

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2018

They pulled the same kidney punch on Carlos Beltran, the slugging center fielder.

From New York Times • Sep. 22, 2012

The famed kidney punch, by this time almost an international incident, was a blow to the short ribs�a common ribroaster in fistic circles.

From Time Magazine Archive