pounce

¹

[pouns]

verb (used without object)

pounced, pouncing 

1. to swoop down suddenly and grasp, as a bird does in seizing its prey.

2. to spring, dash, or come suddenly.

   Unexpectedly she pounced on the right answer.

verb (used with object)

pounced, pouncing 

1. to seize (prey) suddenly.

   The bird quickly pounced its prey.

noun

1. the claw or talon of a bird of prey.

2. a sudden swoop, as on an object of prey.

   Synonyms: spring, lunge, leap

pounce

²

[pouns]

verb (used with object)

pounced, pouncing 

1. to emboss (metal) by hammering on an instrument applied on the reverse side.

pounce

³

[pouns]

noun

1. a fine powder, as of cuttlebone, formerly used to prevent ink from spreading in writing, or to prepare parchment for writing.

2. a fine powder, often of charcoal, used in transferring a design through a perforated pattern.

3. Also called pounce box. Also called pounce bag,. a small bag filled with pounce and struck against a perforated design.

verb (used with object)

pounced, pouncing 

1. to sprinkle, smooth, or prepare with pounce.

2. to trace (a design) with pounce.

3. to finish the surface of (hats) by rubbing with sandpaper or the like.

pounce

¹

/ paʊns /

noun

1. a very fine resinous powder, esp of cuttlefish bone, formerly used to dry ink or sprinkled over parchment or unsized writing paper to stop the ink from running

2. a fine powder, esp of charcoal, that is tapped through perforations in paper corresponding to the main lines of a design in order to transfer the design to another surface

3. ( as modifier )

   a pounce box

verb

1. to dust (paper) with pounce

2. to transfer (a design) by means of pounce

pounce

²

/ paʊns /

verb

1. (intr; often foll by on or upon) to spring or swoop, as in capturing prey

noun

1. the act of pouncing; a spring or swoop

2. the claw of a bird of prey

pounce

³

/ paʊns /

verb

1. (tr) to emboss (metal) by hammering from the reverse side

Other Word Forms

• pouncingly adverb
• pouncer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pounce¹

First recorded in 1375–1425 pounce ¹ ( for def. 4 ); late Middle English; perhaps akin to punch ¹

Origin of pounce²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pounsen, pounson, punchen, perhaps identical with pounce ¹

Origin of pounce³

First recorded in 1700–10; from French ponce, ultimately from Latin pūmic-, stem of pūmex pumice

Word History and Origins

Origin of pounce¹

C18: from Old French ponce, from Latin pūmex _pumice

Origin of pounce²

C17: apparently from Middle English punson pointed tool; see _puncheon ²

Origin of pounce³

C15 pounsen, from Old French poinçonner to stamp; perhaps the same as _pounce ¹

Example Sentences

If they give even the slightest hint that the Ashes drubbing is still lurking in their minds, Australia are ruthless and will pounce.

Read more on BBC

Her soft dismissal creaked the door open, gave England an opportunity to seize - and this time, they pounced.

Read more on BBC

So when Dodgers catcher Will Smith called for a fastball on the first pitch of the game and Yamamoto delivered it, Chourio was ready to pounce.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He came in with his handler—who warned her not to lock eyes with the animal or he might be enticed to pounce.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If we don’t have the people, we won’t be able to pounce on the job opportunities those new technologies bring.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• leap