puncheon

pun·cheon ¹

 (pŭn′chən)

n.

1. A short wooden upright used in structural framing.

2.

a. A piece of broad, heavy, roughly dressed timber with one face finished flat.

b. A walkway over wet ground made by laying planks or dressed timbers over sills set directly on the ground.

c. A short low bridge of similar construction. Also called puncheon bridge.

3. A punching, perforating, or stamping tool, especially one used by a goldsmith.

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[Middle English punchoun, from Anglo-Norman ponchon, punching or piercing tool, piercing weapon, vertical strut, from Vulgar Latin *pūnctiō, pūnctiōn-, from *pūnctiāre, to pierce, from Latin pūnctus, past participle of pungere, to prick; see peuk- in Indo-European roots.]

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pun·cheon ²

 (pŭn′chən)

n.

1. A cask with a capacity of from 72 to 120 gallons (273 to 454 liters).

2. The amount of liquid contained in a puncheon.

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[Middle English punchoun, from Anglo-Norman ponchon, punching tool, cask (probably because the casks were inspected and marked with a punch); see puncheon¹.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

puncheon

(ˈpʌntʃən)

n

1. (Units) a large cask of variable capacity, usually between 70 and 120 gallons

2. (Units) the volume of such a cask used as a liquid measure

[C15 poncion, from Old French ponchon, of uncertain origin]

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puncheon

(ˈpʌntʃən)

n

1. (Building) a short wooden post that is used as a vertical strut

2. (Tools) a less common name for punch²¹

[C14 ponson, from Old French ponçon, from Latin punctiō a puncture, from pungere to prick]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pun•cheon¹

(ˈpʌn tʃən)

n.

1. a large cask of varying capacity, often 80 gallons (304 liters).

2. the volume of such a cask, used as a measure.

[1425–75; Middle English ponchoun, punchon < Middle French ponçon]

pun•cheon²

(ˈpʌn tʃən)

n.

1. a heavy slab of roughly dressed timber for use as a floorboard.

2. a short, upright framing timber.

3. any of various pointed instruments or stamping tools used by goldsmiths; punch.

[1325–75; Middle English ponson, punçon, ponchoun < Middle French ponçon < Latin pūnctiōnem, acc. of pūnctiō pricking =pung(ere) to prick (compare point)]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.