punch

¹ American  

[puhnch] / pʌntʃ /

noun

1. a thrusting blow, especially with the fist.

2. forcefulness, effectiveness, or pungency in content or appeal; vigor; zest.

   This ad copy you wrote isn't bad, but it needs more punch.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give a sharp thrust or blow to, especially with the fist.

   Synonyms:

   pummel, drub, hit, strike

2. Western U.S. and Western Canada. to drive (cattle).

3. to poke or prod, as with a stick.

4. Informal. to deliver (lines in a play, a musical passage, or the like) with vigor.

5. to strike or hit in operating.

   She punched the elevator button and waited for the doors to open.

6. to put into operation with or as if with a blow.

   I punched the time clock at that factory every morning and evening for 35 years.

7. Baseball. to hit (the ball) with a short, chopping motion rather than with a full swing.

   He punched a soft liner just over third base for a base hit.

verb (used without object)

1. to give a sharp blow to a person or thing, as with the fist.

   The boxer punches well.

verb phrase

1. punch up

   1. to call up (information) on a computer by the use of a keyboard.

      She punched up a list of hotel reservations.

   2. Informal. to enliven, as with fresh ideas or additional material.

      You'd better punch up that speech with a few jokes.

2. punch away to keep trying or working, especially in difficult or discouraging circumstances; persevere.

   How long have you been punching away at the same old job?

3. punch in

   1. to record one's time of arrival at work by punching a time clock.

   2. to keyboard (information) into a computer.

      I was punching in the inventory figures when the system crashed.

4. punch out

   1. to record one's time of departure from work by punching a time clock.

   2. Slang. to beat up or knock out with the fists.

   3. to extract (information) from a computer by the use of a keyboard.

      This function lets you quickly punch out a report when sales audit time comes along.

   4. to bail out; eject from an aircraft.

idioms

1. pull punches,

   1. to lessen deliberately the force of one's blows.

   2. Informal. to act with restraint or hold back the full force or implications of something.

      He wasn't going to pull any punches when he warned them of what they would be up against.

2. roll with the punches, to cope with and survive adversity.

   In the business world you quickly learn to roll with the punches.

punch ² American  

[puhnch] / pʌntʃ /

noun

1. a tool or machine for perforating or stamping materials, driving nails, etc.

2. the solid upper die of a punch press, used with a hollow die to blank out shaped pieces of sheet metal or the like.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cut, stamp, pierce, perforate, form, or drive with a tool or machine that punches.

verb (used without object)

1. to work at or on something with or as if with a mechanical punch.

punch ³ American  

[puhnch] / pʌntʃ /

noun

1. a beverage consisting of wine or spirits mixed with fruit juice, soda, water, milk, or the like, and flavored with sugar, spices, etc.

2. a beverage of two or more fruit juices, sugar, and water, sometimes carbonated.

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Punch ⁴ American  

[puhnch] / pʌntʃ /

noun

1. the chief male character in a Punch-and-Judy show.

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idioms

1. pleased as Punch, highly pleased; delighted.

   They were pleased as Punch at having been asked to come along.

punch ¹ British  

/ pʌntʃ /

verb

1. to strike blows (at), esp with a clenched fist

2. (tr) to herd or drive (cattle), esp for a living

3. (tr) to poke or prod with a stick or similar object

4. to do something that is considered to be beyond one's ability

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noun

1. a blow with the fist

2. informal telling force, point, or vigour

   his arguments lacked punch

3. See pull

punch ² British  

/ pʌntʃ /

noun

1. a tool or machine for piercing holes in a material

2. any of various tools used for knocking a bolt, rivet, etc, out of a hole

3. a tool or machine used for stamping a design on something or shaping it by impact

4. the solid die of a punching machine for cutting, stamping, or shaping material

5. computing a device, such as a card punch or tape punch, used for making holes in a card or paper tape

6. See centre punch

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verb

1. (tr) to pierce, cut, stamp, shape, or drive with a punch

Punch ³ British  

/ pʌntʃ /

noun

1. the main character in the traditional children's puppet show Punch and Judy

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punch ⁴ British  

/ pʌntʃ /

noun

1. any mixed drink containing fruit juice and, usually, alcoholic liquor, generally hot and spiced

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punch More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing punch

• beat to it (the punch)
• can't punch one's way out of a paper bag
• pack a punch
• pleased as punch
• pull no punches
• roll with the punches
• sucker punch
• throw a punch

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Other Word Forms

• punchable adjective
• puncher noun

Etymology

Origin of punch¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb pouncen, pounson, punchen “to emboss (metal), pierce, prick,” from Old French poinçoner, poinssonner, ponchonner “to emboss”; puncheon ²

Origin of punch²

First recorded in 1495–1505; short for puncheon ², reinforced by punch ¹

Origin of punch³

First recorded in 1625–35; of uncertain origin; traditionally derived from Hindi panch “five” (from the number of ingredients), from Sanskrit panca; five ( def. )

Origin of Punch⁴

Short for Punchinello ( def. )

Example Sentences

When O'Reilly broke the deadlock, he leapt high, punching the air flamboyantly before jumping on to an advertising hoarding with a flying kick.

From BBC

On Saturday, with a tense two-point win over Vanderbilt, the Huskers kept their run going, punching a ticket to the Sweet 16.

From The Wall Street Journal

Earlier this month, Norris played up his apparent indestructibility by throwing punches in an Instagram posting celebrating his 86th birthday.

From The Wall Street Journal

And just when you think you can’t possibly have an emotional connection to what you’re watching, a sudden wallop to the gut punches the tears right out of you.

From Salon

Stephen Sondheim’s death in 2021, at 91, was a gut punch to musical theater fans.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blow
• jab
• shot
• slap
• stroke