punch
1to 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.
to give a sharp blow to a person or thing, as with the fist: The boxer punches well.
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.
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
1Other words for punch
Other words from punch
- puncher, noun
Other definitions for punch (2 of 4)
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.
to cut, stamp, pierce, perforate, form, or drive with a tool or machine that punches.
to work at or on something with or as if with a mechanical punch.
Origin of punch
2Other words from punch
- punch·a·ble, adjective
Other definitions for punch (3 of 4)
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
3Other definitions for Punch (4 of 4)
the chief male character in a Punch-and-Judy show.
Origin of Punch
4Dictionary.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 | QuartzJones’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 PostAlthough 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 | FiveThirtyEightIt’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 PostBarbara 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.
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.
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 | THE DAILY BEASTThe Baltimore Raven was indefinitely suspended but even one of his teammates suited up after punching a girlfriend in the neck.
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 | THE DAILY BEASTIt beats punching cows, though—that is, when a fellow discovers that he isn't a successful cowpuncher.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairI'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. SinclairShe stood looking at him as he danced around the bag, busily punching its rotund sides.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | VariousIt 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 ReadA 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)
/ (pʌntʃ) /
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
a blow with the fist
informal telling force, point, or vigour: his arguments lacked punch
pull one's punches See pull (def. 26)
Origin of punch
1Derived forms of punch
- puncher, noun
British Dictionary definitions for punch (2 of 4)
/ (pʌntʃ) /
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
(tr) to pierce, cut, stamp, shape, or drive with a punch
Origin of punch
2British Dictionary definitions for punch (3 of 4)
/ (pʌntʃ) /
any mixed drink containing fruit juice and, usually, alcoholic liquor, generally hot and spiced
Origin of punch
3British Dictionary definitions for Punch (4 of 4)
/ (pʌntʃ) /
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
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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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