I. ˈpənch verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: partly from Middle English punchen, from Middle French poinçonner to prick, stamp, from poinçon pointed tool; partly from punch (III) — more at puncheon
transitive verb
1.
a. : to prod with a stick or other blunt object : poke
was punched with her umbrella
rod to punch out the empty shells — W.F.Harris
b. : to act as herdsman of : drive 1c
c. : to push (material) through a foundation piece with a needle
in some carpets the pile is punched through the foundation
2.
a. : to strike with a hard and usually quick forward thrust especially with the fist
the boxer punched his opponent on the nose
check the dough temperature, relieve it of excess gases through punching it — Mary K. Moore
began to punch a pillow into shape — Berton Roueché
b. : to drive or push rapidly and forcibly by or as if by punching
roads punched out of the wilderness by massive bulldozers — Spokane (Wash.) Spokesman Review
a rocket could punch its way out of the atmosphere — New York Times
punched over a touchdown — C.B.Wilkinson
ideals are punched over in anger — A.L.Guernsey
3. : to emboss, cut, or operate on by means of a punch: as
a. : to stamp with perforations : perforate , puncture
a postage stamp punched with round holes
punch a ticket
b. : to record (data) by perforating a card or tape
the machine reads the factors, adds, subtracts … and punches the results — H.C.Zeisig & P.T.Martin
c. : to make by perforating or puncturing
holes can be punched in glass by forcing a sharp steel pin through — C.J.Phillips
d. : to make (a foundry-type matrix) by stamping with a punch
most matrices are stamped or punched, rather than engraved — Foundry Type
4. : to strike sharply so as to make a printed or other record or produce some other intended effect
punch the keys of a typewriter
also : to press or strike sharply the activating mechanism (as a button, key, or plunger) of
punch a typewriter
punch a time clock
punch the throttle
5. : to deliver (as a spoken line) or render (as a musical phrase) with strong emphasis
jokes were punched with an assist from a thud on the bass drum — Henry Hewes
lectures on how to punch their lines — Jane Woodfin
intransitive verb
1. : to perform the action of punching something
after the damage to his hand, the fighter could no longer punch
punching away at a typewriter
2. : to penetrate the paper being printed — used of a part of a printing surface
the very first thing a pressman will do when he looks at the back of a printed sheet is to start cutting out the points which punch — Graphic Arts Monthly
3. : to conduct oneself especially against odds or difficulties with continued effort, determination, and morale
after months of discouragement, he was still in there punching
Synonyms: see perforate , strike
II. noun
( -es )
1. : the action of punching
2. : a quick thrust or a blow with or as if with the fist
land a punch on the jaw
has thrown verbal punches at many a government bigwig — Time
the searing punch of cloud to ground lightning — J.C.Dillon
neither could expect to win a one punch war — H.E.Salisbury
3. : energy or vigor that commands or arrests attention : effectively aimed force : effectiveness
this book has a punch — W.L.Dorn
put more science and punch into salesmanship — Systems Magazine
verbs that have punch — Bruce Westley
a team with a terrific punch — Sporting News (St. Louis, Missouri)
4. : punch line ; also : a word that has the same effect
Synonyms: see vigor
•
- to the punch
III. noun
( -es )
Etymology: probably short for puncheon
1.
a. : a tool usually in the form of a short rod of steel that is either solid or hollow and sharp-edged and that is variously shaped at one end for different operations (as perforating, blanking, cutting, forming, drawing, bending, coining, embossing, seaming, trimming): as
(1) : prick punch
(2) : center punch
(3) : a short tapering steel rod for driving the heads of nails or brads below the surface — called also nail set
(4) : a tool for driving a bolt or other object out of a hole — called also starting punch
(5) : force 8a
(6) : hob II 4a (4)
(7) : a steel die faced with a letter in relief that is forced into a softer metal (as copper) to form an intaglio matrix from which foundry type is cast
b. : a device or machine for performing the operations of a hand punch: as
(1) : a hand-operated device for cutting holes or notches in paper or cardboard
(2) : punch press
(3) : keypunch
2. : a stonecutter's point
3. : a part having on its surface a figure or design in relief so that it is suitable for impressing an intaglio design on wax or other plastic material
4. : a hole or notch resulting from a perforating operation especially of a card or tape
IV. noun
( -es )
Etymology: perhaps from Hindi pā̃c five, from Sanskrit pañca; from the number of ingredients — more at five
1. : a hot or cold beverage varying greatly in composition but usually composed of wine, spirituous liquor, or ale or a combination thereof and citrus juice, spices, tea, and water and often served from a large bowl
hot rum punch
whiskey punch
also : a beverage composed of fruit juices and other nonalcoholic liquids (as tea, ginger ale) and usually served cold
2. : a drink or serving of punch
3. : a social affair at which punch is served
V. noun
( -es )
Etymology: probably short for punchinello
dialect chiefly England : a short stocky person or animal
VI. adjective
dialect Britain : short , thickset
VII. noun
( -es )
Etymology: by shortening & alteration
: panchayat