punka
Britishnoun
Etymology
Origin of punka
C17: from Hindi pankhā, from Sanskrit paksaka fan, from paksa wing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I read my letter to mamma so far, and she says you won't know what a punka is.
From Harper's Young People, August 3, 1880 An Illustrated Weekly by Various
To and fro the punka flapped; the pulleys creaked and the ropes scraped above the sound of knives and forks and spoons.
From Parrot & Co. by MacGrath, Harold
The function of a punka is to cause a current of air to pass the human body so that the animal heat may escape more rapidly.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 595, May 28, 1887 by Various
The limit of movement of a punka is to be found in the man who pulls it.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 595, May 28, 1887 by Various
A vigorous exclamation brings him to his feet all standing, and he begins to pull the punka with all his might, and you have a feeling of ease and coolness.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 595, May 28, 1887 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.
