punt

[ puhnt ]

/ pʌnt /

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noun

Football. a kick in which the ball is dropped and then kicked before it touches the ground.Compare drop kick, place kick.

a small, shallow boat having a flat bottom and square ends, usually used for short outings on rivers or lakes and propelled by poling.

Glassmaking. kick (def. 23b).

verb (used with object)

Football. to kick (a dropped ball) before it touches the ground.

to propel (a small boat) by thrusting against the bottom of a lake or stream, especially with a pole.

to convey in or as if in a punt.

verb (used without object)

to punt a football.

to propel a boat by thrusting a pole against the bottom of a river, stream, or lake.

to travel or have an outing in a punt.

Informal. to equivocate or delay: If they ask you for exact sales figures, you'll have to punt.

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Origin of punt

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

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

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

Other definitions for punt (4 of 5)

punt⁴

[ puhnt ]

/ pʌnt /

noun

kick (def. 23b).

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. 2022

How to use punt in a sentence

The Saints scored 10 points with Winston at quarterback, though seven of them came on a three-play drive that featured three runs and began on San Francisco’s 22-yard line after a muffed punt.
Taysom Hill, not Jameis Winston, reportedly will replace Drew Brees for the Saints|Matt Bonesteel|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Isaiah Wright muffed a punt later in the first quarter for Washington’s second turnover and Smith threw the first of his three interceptions toward the end of the first half.
Hail or Fail: Washington commits five more turnovers than Daniel Jones in ugly loss to Giants|Scott Allen|November 9, 2020|Washington Post
Compared to 2004, last season represented a 57 percent decrease in total punts taken to the house.
Is College Football Abandoning The Punt Return?|Josh Planos|November 9, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Later in the first quarter, rookie wide receiver Isaiah Wright muffed a punt that gave the Giants the ball at the Washington 16-yard line.
Four takeaways from Washington’s 23-20 loss to the Giants|Scott Allen|November 8, 2020|Washington Post

Coach Matt Rhule first had sent the punt team on the field, then changed his mind and sent the offense back on.
Teddy Bridgewater shakes off 'cheap shot,’ but Falcons keep it together to hold off Panthers|Mark Maske|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
But then, eight months after the argument, the Court punted.
Affirmative Action Isn’t Oppressive, but the Roberts Court Wants to End It Anyway|Mike Sacks|April 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Instead Dodd-Frank punted the guts of its potential reform to a multiyear regulatory process.
The Roots of the Next Financial Crisis: How Wall Street Undermines Reform|Lawrence Lessig|June 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
And on Defense spending, he promised an additional $400 billion in cuts, but punted specifics to a military commission.
Long on Values, But Short on Specifics|John Avlon|April 13, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Obama punted on the economy and reversed the fortunes of the Democrats in 365 days.
He's Done Everything Wrong|Mort Zuckerman|January 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST
And Vidal, perhaps wisely, punted on a request to discuss his views on religion.
Vidal Kicks Up Dust Again|Lloyd Grove|October 21, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Then the boys threw off the female garments, and taking the long poles punted the boat out into the lake.
A Chapter of Adventures|G. A. Henty
A lucky fumble brought the ball into the home team's hands, and Bunny punted out of danger.
The Boy Scouts of Lakeville High|Leslie W. Quirk
Martin had punted, a long, high corkscrew that "hung" well and then came down with a rush toward the waiting arms of Kendall.
Left Tackle Thayer|Ralph Henry Barbour
Chambers smashed through Hall for two, through Tyler for two more and punted on third down.
Left Tackle Thayer|Ralph Henry Barbour
Harris punted high and short and Chambers made a fair catch on her forty-two yards.
Left Tackle Thayer|Ralph Henry Barbour

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

punt

Origin of punt

OTHER WORDS FROM punt

Other definitions for punt (2 of 5)

Origin of punt

OTHER WORDS FROM punt

Other definitions for punt (3 of 5)

Origin of punt

Other definitions for punt (4 of 5)

Origin of punt

Other definitions for punt (5 of 5)

Words related to punt

How to use punt in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for punt (1 of 4)

Word Origin for punt

British Dictionary definitions for punt (2 of 4)

Word Origin for punt

British Dictionary definitions for punt (3 of 4)

Word Origin for punt

British Dictionary definitions for punt (4 of 4)

Word Origin for punt