punt
1[ puhnt ]
/ pʌnt /
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noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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Question 1 of 7
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Origin of punt
1First 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, nounOther 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
2First 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, nounOther 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
3First recorded in 1970–75; from Irish, from English pound2
Other definitions for punt (4 of 5)
Origin of punt
4First 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
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