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punt

1
[ puhnt ]
/ pʌnt /
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noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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Origin of punt

1
First recorded before 1000; 1835–45 for def. 1; Old English: “flat-bottomed boat” (not attested in Middle English ), from Latin pontō “pontoon, punt” (see pontoon1); the sense “to kick a dropped ball” comes perhaps via the semse “to propel (a boat) by shoving”

OTHER WORDS FROM punt

punter, noun

Other definitions for punt (2 of 5)

punt2
[ puhnt ]
/ pʌnt /

verb (used without object)
Cards. to lay a stake against the bank, as at faro.
Slang. to gamble, especially to bet on horse races or other sporting events.
noun
Cards. a person who lays a stake against the bank.

Origin of punt

2
First recorded in 1705–15; from French ponter, derivative of ponte “punter; point in faro,” from Spanish punto; see origin at point

OTHER WORDS FROM punt

punter, noun

Other definitions for punt (3 of 5)

punt3
[ poont, puhnt ]
/ pʊnt, pʌnt /

noun
a monetary unit of the Republic of Ireland until the euro was adopted, equal to 100 pence; Irish pound.

Origin of punt

3
First recorded in 1970–75; from Irish, from English pound2

Other definitions for punt (4 of 5)

punt4
[ puhnt ]
/ pʌnt /

noun

Origin of punt

4
First recorded in 1820–25; probably shortening of punty

Other definitions for punt (5 of 5)

Punt
[ poont ]
/ pʊnt /

noun
an ancient Egyptian name of an area not absolutely identified but believed to be Somaliland.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use punt in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for punt (1 of 4)

punt1
/ (pʌnt) /

noun
an open flat-bottomed boat with square ends, propelled by a poleSee quant 1
verb
to propel (a boat, esp a punt) by pushing with a pole on the bottom of a river, etc

Word Origin for punt

Old English punt shallow boat, from Latin pontō punt, pontoon 1

British Dictionary definitions for punt (2 of 4)

punt2
/ (pʌnt) /

noun
a kick in certain sports, such as rugby, in which the ball is released and kicked before it hits the ground
any long high kick
verb
to kick (a ball, etc) using a punt

Word Origin for punt

C19: perhaps a variant of English dialect bunt to push, perhaps a nasalized variant of butt ³

British Dictionary definitions for punt (3 of 4)

punt3
/ (pʌnt) mainly British /

verb
(intr) to gamble; bet
noun
a gamble or bet, esp against the bank, as in roulette, or on horses
Also called: punter a person who bets
take a punt at Australian and NZ informal to have an attempt or try at (something)

Word Origin for punt

C18: from French ponter to punt, from ponte bet laid against the banker, from Spanish punto point, from Latin punctum

British Dictionary definitions for punt (4 of 4)

punt4
/ (pʊnt) /

noun
(formerly) the Irish pound

Word Origin for punt

Irish Gaelic: pound
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
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