punch

[ puhnch ]

/ pʌntʃ /

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noun

a thrusting blow, especially with the fist.

forcefulness, effectiveness, or pungency in content or appeal; vigor; zest: This ad copy you wrote isn't bad, but it needs more punch.

verb (used with object)

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.

verb (used without object)

to give a sharp blow to a person or thing, as with the fist: The boxer punches well.

Verb Phrases

punch away, Informal. 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.

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR punch

3 strike, hit; drub, pummel.

See synonyms for punch on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about punch

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, Informal. to cope with and survive adversity: In the business world you quickly learn to roll with the punches.

Origin of 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 puncheon²

OTHER WORDS FROM punch

puncher, noun

Other definitions for punch (2 of 4)

punch²

[ puhnch ]

/ pʌntʃ /

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

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

verb (used without object)

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

Origin of punch

First recorded in 1495–1505; short for puncheon², reinforced by punch¹

OTHER WORDS FROM punch

punch·a·ble, adjective

Other definitions for punch (3 of 4)

punch³

[ puhnch ]

/ pʌntʃ /

noun

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.

Origin of punch

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

Other definitions for punch (4 of 4)

Punch

[ puhnch ]

/ pʌntʃ /

noun

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

Origin of Punch

Short for Punchinello

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use punch in a sentence

Nichols is sure that bots were beating him to the punch because every time Walmart and other retailers released more consoles, the products were gone in less than five seconds.
Bots are buying up the season’s hottest gifts before you can|Teresa Carr|December 1, 2020|Quartz
Jones’s style at the peak of his career included superior hand speed and quickness combined with exceptional power, particularly when he fought at middleweight, and an ability to land punches from unexpected angles.
In an entertaining spectacle, Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. battle to a draw in Los Angeles|Gene Wang|November 29, 2020|Washington Post
Although credit to Carr and the Raiders for hanging in there almost punch for punch.
Every Day, The Chiefs Write The Book (On Epic Comebacks)|Sara Ziegler (sara.ziegler@fivethirtyeight.com)|November 23, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
It’s more of a gut punch when you don’t get what you ordered, and you’re concerned our staff won’t have the right equipment.
Smallest health providers face biggest problem finding protective gear amid coronavirus surge|Amy Goldstein|November 22, 2020|Washington Post

Barbara had been throwing significant punches at Todd since March.
San Diego Is a Big City – Todd Gloria Wants it to Act Like One|Andrew Keatts|November 6, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Nearly all the coverage focused on Ray Rice punching his fiancé senseless and Adrian Peterson beating his child.
How the Media Failed to Nail the NFL|Steve Almond|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But his message to those caring for the Dallas patient both in his home and now in the hospital needs a bit of punching up.
The CDC Was Wrong About How to Stop Ebola|Kent Sepkowitz|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For instance, he points out, Charlemagne treated Saxony like his own personal punching bag.
How the Vikings Saved Europe and Got a Terrible Reputation|William O’Connor|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Baltimore Raven was indefinitely suspended but even one of his teammates suited up after punching a girlfriend in the neck.
The NFL Is Full of Ray Rices|Robert Silverman|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He has become something of a critical punching bag of late, a thought that seemed impossible for most of his career.
Al Pacino Does What He Wants to Do: 'The Humbling,' Scorsese, and That 'Scarface' Remake|Alex Suskind|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It beats punching cows, though—that is, when a fellow discovers that he isn't a successful cowpuncher.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
I'd have enjoyed punching his proud head, for all that; it was a dirty way to serve a man who had done his level best.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
She stood looking at him as he danced around the bag, busily punching its rotund sides.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
It wouldn't surprise me to learn that he put some rascally black up to the trick of punching that hole in my bath.
An Arkansas Planter|Opie Percival Read
A computerman second class was punching the readings into the small table calculator as Multhaus read off the numbers.
Unwise Child|Gordon Randall Garrett

British Dictionary definitions for punch (1 of 4)

punch¹

/ (pʌntʃ) /

verb

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

(tr) Western US to herd or drive (cattle), esp for a living

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

punch above one's weight to do something that is considered to be beyond one's ability

noun

a blow with the fist

informal telling force, point, or vigourhis arguments lacked punch

pull one's punches See pull (def. 26)

Derived forms of punch

puncher, noun

Word Origin for punch

C15: perhaps a variant of pounce ²

British Dictionary definitions for punch (2 of 4)

punch²

/ (pʌntʃ) /

noun

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

verb

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

Word Origin for punch

C14: shortened from puncheon, from Old French ponçon; see puncheon ²

British Dictionary definitions for punch (3 of 4)

punch³

/ (pʌntʃ) /

noun

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

Word Origin for punch

C17: perhaps from Hindi pānch, from Sanskrit pañca five; the beverage originally included five ingredients

British Dictionary definitions for punch (4 of 4)

Punch

/ (pʌntʃ) /

noun

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

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with punch

punch

In addition to the idioms beginning with punch

punch in
punch out

also see:

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

punch

OTHER WORDS FOR punch

Idioms about punch

Origin of punch

OTHER WORDS FROM punch

Other definitions for punch (2 of 4)

Origin of punch

OTHER WORDS FROM punch

Other definitions for punch (3 of 4)

Origin of punch

Other definitions for punch (4 of 4)

Origin of Punch

Words related to punch

How to use punch in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for punch (1 of 4)

Derived forms of punch

Word Origin for punch

British Dictionary definitions for punch (2 of 4)

Word Origin for punch

British Dictionary definitions for punch (3 of 4)

Word Origin for punch

British Dictionary definitions for punch (4 of 4)

Other Idioms and Phrases with punch