pounce 1
— pouncingly , adv.
/powns/ , v. , pounced, pouncing , n.
v.i.
1. to swoop down suddenly and grasp, as a bird does in seizing its prey.
2. to spring, dash, or come suddenly: Unexpectedly she pounced on the right answer.
v.t.
3. to seize (prey) suddenly: The bird quickly pounced its prey.
n.
4. the claw or talon of a bird of prey.
5. a sudden swoop, as on an object of prey.
[ 1375-1425; late ME; perh. akin to PUNCH 1 ]
Syn. 5. leap, lunge, spring.
pounce 2
/powns/ , v.t., pounced, pouncing .
to emboss (metal) by hammering on an instrument applied on the reverse side.
[ 1350-1400; ME; perh. identical with POUNCE 1 ]
pounce 3
— pouncer , n.
/powns/ , n. , v. , pounced, pouncing .
n.
1. a fine powder, as of cuttlebone, formerly used to prevent ink from spreading in writing, or to prepare parchment for writing.
2. a fine powder, often of charcoal, used in transferring a design through a perforated pattern.
3. Also, pounce bag . a small bag filled with pounce and struck against a perforated design.
v.t.
4. to sprinkle, smooth, or prepare with pounce.
5. to trace (a design) with pounce.
6. to finish the surface of (hats) by rubbing with sandpaper or the like.
[ 1700-10; ponce pumicem, acc. of pumex PUMICE ]