punch

PUNCH/pʌnt͡ʃ/

25 meanings of punch

1
nouncountable
A hit made with the closed hand.
Like hitting something hard with your closed hand.
He threw a punch and knocked the bag off its hook.
The boxer landed several punches in the first round.
Similarblow, hit, thump
Note
2
verbtransitive
To hit someone or something with your closed hand.
Like hitting something hard with your fist.
Don't punch your brother just because he took your toy.
He punched the wall in frustration after the call.
Similarhit, strike, thump, slug
3
noununcountable
A drink made by mixing fruit juice with other drinks, sometimes with alcohol.
Like lemonade, but made by mixing several drinks together.
The punch at the party was sweet and very cold.
She ladled punch into paper cups for the guests.
Note
4
nouncountable
A tool that makes holes in paper.
Like a tool that bites neat round holes into paper.
Use the punch to make holes before putting the pages in a binder.
The office punch can cut three holes at once.
5
nouncountable
A slim, round tool used to make holes or stamp a mark on a surface.
Like a small metal pin you hit to poke a hole.
He tapped the punch with a hammer to make a small hole in the metal.
Use a punch to push the old pin out of the hinge.
Note
6
noununcountable
Force and energy that make something powerful or exciting.
Like the kick of a strong drink that you feel right away.
This coffee has real punch and wakes you right up.
The speech needed more punch to excite the crowd.
Similarpower, strength, force, vigor, oomph
Note
7
verbtransitive
To use a tool to make a hole or stamp a mark in something.
Like pressing a cookie cutter down to make a shape.
You can punch a clean hole in the card with this tool.
She punched a small design into the metal sheet.
Similarstamp, emboss
8
nouncountable
A hole made by a punching tool.
Like the little round hole left after you poke through paper.
Each punch in the belt lets you tighten it a little more.
The neat punches lined up evenly across the paper.
Similarhole, perforation
9
verbtransitive
To make a hole or mark in a ticket to show it has been used.
Like a stamp that shows a ticket has been used.
The conductor will punch your ticket when you board.
He punched each ticket as the passengers got on.
Similarclip, validate, stamp
Note
10
verbtransitive
To make a machine work by pressing a button or key.
Like pressing buttons on a microwave to turn it on.
Punch the green button to start the machine.
He punched the pedal and the machine roared to life.
Similarpress, push, hit, jab
Note

11
verbtransitive
To make holes in something like a ticket or a belt.
Like poking holes in paper with a sharp tool.
Punch the belt so it fits your waist better.
He punched the card at the time clock each morning.
Similarpierce, perforate, puncture
Note
12
verbtransitive
To give strong emphasis to a word, point, or idea.
Like saying a word louder so people notice it.
Punch the key words so the audience remembers them.
He punched the final line of his speech for effect.
Similaremphasize, stress, accentuate, underline, highlight
Oppositedownplay, understate
13
noununcountable
The strong effect something has on people.
Like a story that hits you hard and stays with you.
The movie's ending really had punch and stayed with me.
Her short message carried a lot of punch.
Similarimpact, force, effect, bite, kick
14
verbtransitive
To type or enter information into a machine or system.
Like typing a code into a phone.
Please punch your PIN into the keypad.
She punched the numbers into the cash register.
Similarenter, key, type, input
15
verbintransitive
To push or poke hard against something.
Punch your finger against the button to test it.
She punched at the curtain to see who was hiding behind it.
Similarpush, thrust, shove, press, drive
16
verbtransitive
To hit a ball gently, with less than full strength.
Like tapping a ball instead of kicking it hard.
Punch the ball softly so it drops just over the net.
He punched the volleyball toward his teammate.
Similartap, knock
17
nounrarecountable
A hit from something other than a fist.
The falling branch gave him a hard punch on the head.
A punch from the swinging gate knocked over the bucket.
Similarblow, hit, knock, thump, jolt
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18
verbslangUKintransitiveabbreviationellipsis
Short form of punch above one's weight. It means to date someone more attractive than you are.
Lads like him always punch when they pull someone gorgeous.
Everyone said she was punching by going out with him.
Note
19
verbtransitive
To push down the grape skins that float to the top while wine is fermenting.
Like pushing floating leaves back under the water.
Winemakers punch the floating skins down several times a day.
She punched the cap of skins with a wooden tool.
Note
20
nouncountable
An extra piece put on top of a post to make it longer while it is driven into the ground.
The crew fitted a punch to the top of the pile.
A new punch was added so the hammer could keep driving the post.
Similardolly
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21
verbtransitive
To drive or move farm animals from one place to another.
Like guiding a group of sheep into a pen.
Each spring the ranchers punch the cattle up to the hills.
They punched the steers into the pen for the night.
Similardrive, herd, move
22
nouncountable
A post used to hold something up, such as the roof of a mine.
Miners set a strong punch under the sagging roof.
The wooden punch kept the tunnel from caving in.
Similarprop, support, post, strut
23
nouncountable
One of a group of butterflies that live in Asia.
A punch opened its wings on a leaf in the forest.
Several punches fluttered along the mountain path.
Note
24
nounarchaic
A short, fat person.
Her uncle was a jolly little punch who loved his dinner.
Now the effigies makes Robert to have been a juvenile figure of the best height, 5 f. 10 inch.; taller or shorter men being generally ill-made, knock-kneed, or Punches.
1836, T[homas] D[udley] Fosbroke, “[Monument of Robert [Curthose] Duke of Normandy]”Here, Punches means short, fat people.
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25
adjectivearchaicNorthern EnglandScotland
Short and heavily built.
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–2, 6, 10–19, 21

From Middle English punchen, coming partly from an Old French word for a pointed tool and partly from a shortened form of "punish", both going back to the Latin word pungō meaning "I prick".

Meanings 4–5, 7–9, 20, 22

A shortened form of "puncheon", from Old French ponchon ("pointed tool") and Latin pungō ("I prick").

Meaning 3

From Hindi पाँच (pā̃c) and Urdu پانچ (pānc), meaning "five", because the drink originally had five ingredients.

Meaning 23

From the name Punch.

Meanings 24–25

Uncertain. Perhaps a shortened form of "puncheon" or "Punchinello".