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Punch
(redirected from beats to the punch)

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia 0.01 sec.
Punch  (pnch)
n.
The quarrelsome hook-nosed husband of Judy in the comic puppet show Punch and Judy.
Idiom:
pleased as Punch
Highly pleased; gratified.

[Short for Punchinello.]

punch 1  (pnch)
n.
1. A tool for circular or other piercing: a leather punch.
2. A tool for forcing a pin, bolt, or rivet in or out of a hole.
3. A tool for stamping a design on a surface.
4. A tool for making a countersink.
intr. & tr.v. punched, punch·ing, punch·es
To use a punch or use a punch on.

[Middle English pounce, punche, from Old French poinçon, ponchon; see puncheon1. V., from Middle English pouncen, punchen, to prick, from Old French poinçoner, ponchoner, to emboss with a punch; see punch2.]

puncher n.

punch 2  (pnch)
tr.v. punched, punch·ing, punch·es
1. To hit with a sharp blow of the fist.
2.
a. To poke or prod with a stick.
b. Western U.S. To herd (cattle).
3. To depress (a key or button, for example) in order to activate a device or perform an operation: punched the "repeat" key; punched in the number on the computer.
4. Baseball To hit (a ball) with a quick short swing.
n.
1. A blow with the fist.
2. Vigor or drive. See Synonyms at vigor.
Phrasal Verbs:
punch in
To check in formally at a job upon arrival.
punch out
1. To check out formally at a job upon departure.
2. To knock unconscious with a punch.
3. Slang To eject from a military aircraft.
Idiom:
beat to the punch
To make the first decisive move: a marketing team that beat all the competitors to the punch.

[Middle English punchen, to thrust, prod, prick, from Old French poinçonner, ponchonner, to emboss with a punch, from poinçon, ponchon, pointed tool; see puncheon1.]

punchless adj.

punch 3  (pnch)
n.
A beverage of fruit juices and sometimes a soft drink or carbonated water, often spiced and mixed with a wine or liquor base.

[Perhaps from Hindi pañc, five, from Sanskrit pañca (from its originally having been prepared from five ingredients); see penkwe in Indo-European roots.]

Punch [pʌntʃ]
n
(Performing Arts / Theatre) the main character in the traditional children's puppet show Punch and Judy

punch1
vb
1. to strike blows (at), esp with a clenched fist
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Agriculture) (tr) Western US to herd or drive (cattle), esp for a living
3. (tr) to poke or prod with a stick or similar object
punch above one's weight to do something that is considered to be beyond one's ability
n
1. a blow with the fist
2. Informal telling force, point, or vigour his arguments lacked punch
pull (one's) punches See pull [26]
[perhaps a variant of pounce2]
puncher  n

punch2
n
1. (Engineering / Tools) a tool or machine for piercing holes in a material
2. (Engineering / Tools) any of various tools used for knocking a bolt, rivet, etc., out of a hole
3. (Engineering / Tools) a tool or machine used for stamping a design on something or shaping it by impact
4. (Engineering / Tools) the solid die of a punching machine for cutting, stamping, or shaping material
5. (Electronics & Computer Science / Computer Science) Computing a device, such as a card punch or tape punch, used for making holes in a card or paper tape
6. (Engineering / Tools) See centre punch
vb
(Engineering / Tools) (tr) to pierce, cut, stamp, shape, or drive with a punch
[shortened from puncheon, from Old French ponçon; see puncheon2]

punch3
n
(Miscellaneous Technologies / Brewing) any mixed drink containing fruit juice and, usually, alcoholic liquor, generally hot and spiced
[perhaps from Hindi pānch, from Sanskrit pañca five; the beverage originally included five ingredients]

punch


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