to give a sharp thrust or blow to, especially with the fist.
Western U.S. and Western Canada. to drive (cattle).
to poke or prod, as with a stick.
Informal. to deliver (lines in a play, a musical passage, or the like) with vigor.
to strike or hit in operating.
She punched the elevator button and waited for the doors to open.
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.
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.
punch up
to call up (information) on a computer by the use of a keyboard.
She punched up a list of hotel reservations.
Informal. to enliven, as with fresh ideas or additional material.
You'd better punch up that speech with a few jokes.
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?
punch in
to record one's time of arrival at work by punching a time clock.
to keyboard (information) into a computer.
I was punching in the inventory figures when the system crashed.
punch out
to record one's time of departure from work by punching a time clock.
Slang. to beat up or knock out with the fists.
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.
to bail out; eject from an aircraft.
pull punches,
to lessen deliberately the force of one's blows.
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.
roll with the punches, to cope with and survive adversity.
In the business world you quickly learn to roll with the punches.
a tool or machine for perforating or stamping materials, driving nails, etc.
the solid upper die of a punch press, used with a hollow die to blank out shaped pieces of sheet metal or the like.
a beverage consisting of wine or spirits mixed with fruit juice, soda, water, milk, or the like, and flavored with sugar, spices, etc.
a beverage of two or more fruit juices, sugar, and water, sometimes carbonated.
to strike blows (at), esp with a clenched fist
(tr) to herd or drive (cattle), esp for a living
(tr) to poke or prod with a stick or similar object
to do something that is considered to be beyond one's ability
a blow with the fist
informal telling force, point, or vigour
his arguments lacked punch
See pull
a tool or machine for piercing holes in a material
any of various tools used for knocking a bolt, rivet, etc, out of a hole
a tool or machine used for stamping a design on something or shaping it by impact
the solid die of a punching machine for cutting, stamping, or shaping material
computing a device, such as a card punch or tape punch, used for making holes in a card or paper tape
See centre punch
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb pouncen, pounson, punchen “to emboss (metal), pierce, prick,” from Old French poinçoner, poinssonner, ponchonner “to emboss”; see also puncheon 2
First recorded in 1495–1505; short for puncheon 2, reinforced by punch 1
First recorded in 1625–35; of uncertain origin; traditionally derived from Hindi panch “five” (from the number of ingredients), from Sanskrit panca; cf. five ( def. )
Short for Punchinello ( def. )
To punch is to hit hard with a closed fist. Boxers practice their sport when they punch a punching bag. Punch is also a party drink. But if you punch someone at the party, you won’t get any. Most of us occasionally imagine what it would feel like to punch a bully. You also punch when you make round holes in paper (with a "hole punch"), and you "punch the clock," or "punch in" when you officially register that you've started working for the day. Punch is also a fruity, drink — this potable punch comes from Sanskrit for "five," for the five ingredients in a similar sweet drink. There are also five fingers in a fist. Hum.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: Saints running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara both have been effective as runners or receivers and last week each had 100 yards from scrimmage in the same game.
From Washington Times • Oct. 26, 2017
Colonel Sibthorp, upon his jokes, which have convulsed all the readers of PUNCH, including himself.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, November 13, 1841 by Various
PUNCH, Anything more dreary than racing during this week's weather at Newmarket can scarcely be imagined!
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, July 23, 1892 by Various
PUNCH, Unlucky Leicester was even more unlucky than usual—and when the big race was run last Wednesday, so thick was the rain, that the horses could only be seen for the last half mile!
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, October 1, 1892 by Various
PUNCH, I must appeal to you, the unimpeachable C�sar, in athletics as in all other matters, to secure me some small meed of public sympathy and consideration.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 99, December 20, 1890 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
