Etymology From Middle English punchen, partially from Old French ponchonner (“to punch”), from ponchon (“pointed tool”), from Latin punctio, from punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō (“I prick”); and partially from Middle English punchen, a syncopated variant of punischen ("to punish"; see punish). Also influenced by Middle English punchon ("a punch"; see puncheon). Compare also Middle English bunchen, bonchen (“to punch, deliver a blow, pound, beat”).
1
A hit or strike with one's fist.
Another Karadeniz cross led to Cudicini's first save of the night, with the Spurs keeper making up for a weak punch by brilliantly pushing away Christian Noboa's snap-shot.2011 November 3, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 14 May 2020:
For in Tashbaan there is only one traffic regulation, which is that everyone who is less important has to get out of the way for everyone who is more important; unless you want a cut from a whip or a punch from the butt end of a spear.1954, C. S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy:
3
Power, strength, energy.
The tornado is finally losing its punch.
Nixon inadvertently took most of the punch out of the Red Scare by trekking to Peking and Moscow.1978 April 22, Harry Seng, “Gore Vidal: Adjutant to the Gay Camp”, in Gay Community News, page 11:
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The theorizing often lacks punch and tightness, and that is because Kleinberg is unresolved about how to think about the facts, unsure which are the relevant facts, unsure that thinking itself will be liberating for him.1981 August 22, Martin Krieger, “Always on the Outside of Whatever Side There Was”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 6, page 9:
4
Impact.
Has your ad copy plenty of punch?1930, “Instructions in Sound”, in Moving Picture Review & Theatre Management, volume 25, Exhibitors Trade Review Publishing, page 40:
Etymology From Middle English punchen, partially from Old French ponchonner (“to punch”), from ponchon (“pointed tool”), from Latin punctio, from punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō (“I prick”); and partially from Middle English punchen, a syncopated variant of punischen ("to punish"; see punish). Also influenced by Middle English punchon ("a punch"; see puncheon). Compare also Middle English bunchen, bonchen (“to punch, deliver a blow, pound, beat”).
To operate (a device or system) by depressing a button, key, bar, or pedal, or by similar means.
As night watchman he was required to punch a watchman's clock; the stations were scattered all over the place.1922, William Otis Badger, editor, The Workmen's compensation law journal, volume 10, page 129:
The patrol clock and punch key system made sure that crewmen completed their patrols. At the far end of his patrol, he used a key to punch his clock and start the return trip.2000, William D. Peterson, United States Life-Saving Service in Michigan, page 106:
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Another shipmate remembered the watch clock on the strap we had to carry to punching stations. He was assigned to a guard shack. He had rounds to the Officer's Club and sleeping quarters where he'd have to punch the clock at different stations.2007, Dick Juge, The Historic Northwest Passage and the CGC Storis, page 27:
4
To enter (information) on a device or system.
5
To hit (a ball or similar object) with less than full force.
He punched a hit into shallow left field.
6
To make holes in something (rail ticket, leather belt, etc) (see also the verb under Etymology 2).
So I punched a hole in the roof, ah-ah, ah-ah Let the flood carry away all my pictures of you2014 October 27, Taylor Swift, Imogen Heap, “Clean (Taylor's Version)”, in 1989 (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift, published 27 October 2023:
7
To thrust against; to poke.
to punch one with the end of a stick or the elbow
8
UK, Abbreviation, Ellipsis, Slang Ellipsis of punch above one's weight, especially, to date somebody more attractive than oneself.
9
Beverages, Food, Lifestyle, Oenology, Wine To perform pigeage: to stamp down grape skins that float to the surface during fermentation.
Taken away from two Grooms on Monday the 16th inſtant, in the great Road that leads to Epping from London in Epping-Foreſt, a little gray punch Stoned Horſe, hath all his paces, thorn mane, bob tailed, marked with I. S. on the near ſhoulder, about 14 hands.1679 June 19–23, The London Gazette, number 1418, London: […] Tho[mas] Newcomb […], →OCLC, page [2], column 2:
They are generally very much prejudiced in favour of their own Race, whoſe Beauty they think conſiſts in having little Eyes ſunk deep in the Head, black thick Brows, a large flat Noſe and Face, and a ſhort punch Shape, eſpecially for the Women; […]1723, A[ubry] De La Mottraye, “A Journey into Akerman-Ozakovian-Crim- and Noghaian-Tartaries, Circassia, &c.”, in A. De La Motraye’s Travels through Europe, Asia, and into Part of Africa; […], volume II, London: […] [F]or the Author, →OCLC, page 25:
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The sexton and his companion had been employed as carpenters on the preparations for the celebrated Stratford Jubilee; and they remembered Garrick, the prime mover of the fête, who superintended the arrangements; and who, according to the sexton, was “a short punch man, very lively and bustling.”1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Stratford-on-Avon”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number VII, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 62:
punch
verb
Etymology Shortened form of puncheon, from Middle English punchoun, from Old French ponchon (“pointed tool”), from Latin punctio, from punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō (“to prick”).
1
To employ a punch to create a hole in or stamp or emboss a mark on something.
2
To mark a ticket.
The guard performs athletic feats in jumping from coach to coach while the train is in motion, taking orders for tickets, punching them on a bell punch in his van, and then returning to distribute them to passengers.1950 December, R. C. J. Day and R. K. Kirkland, “The Kelvedon & Tollesbury Light Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 842:
Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of Suffolk Punch (“a horse of that breed”).
‘And the Punches,’ said William. ‘There’s cattle! A Suffolk Punch, when he’s a good un, is worth his weight in gold. Did you ever breed any Suffolk Punches yourself, sir?’1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC:
Etymology Shortened form of puncheon, from Middle English punchoun, from Old French ponchon (“pointed tool”), from Latin punctio, from punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō (“to prick”).
1
A device, generally slender and round, used for creating holes in thin material, for driving an object through a hole in a containing object, or to stamp or emboss a mark or design on a surface.
2
A mechanism for punching holes in paper or other thin material.
Etymology PIE word *pénkʷe From Hindi पाँच (pā̃c, “five”)/Urdu پانچ (pānc), because of the drink's original five ingredients (spirits, water, lemon juice, sugar, and spice), from Sanskrit पञ्च (páñca). Doublet of cinque, fin (“five currency units”), finnuf, five, pimp (“five”), ponzu, and sengi (“currency”); related to Punjab and Pompeii.
1
Usually A beverage, generally containing a mixture of fruit juice and some other beverage, often alcoholic.
Here I did make the workmen drink, and saw my coach cleaned and oyled; and, staying among poor people there in the alley, did hear them call their fat child Punch, which pleased me mightily, that word being become a word of common use for all that is thick and short.[1669 May 9 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “April 30th, 1669”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume VIII, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1896, →OCLC, page 310:
The company at the maſquerade on May 13, at the Pantheon, was not ſo numerous as uſual. However, there were ſome very good dreſſes, and the characters well ſupported; in particular a punch, who afforded great entertainment.1774 May, “Masquerade Intelligence”, in The Covent-Garden Magazine; or, Amorous Repository: […], volume III, London: […] [F]or the Authors; and sold by G. Allen, […], →OCLC, page 182, column 2:
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He rides a low poney when on parade and his dress being of the fassion some forty years ago, he has a drole appearance. He has acquired the cognomen of “Punch on a Pig.”c. 1809, William Wheeler, edited by B[asil] H[enry] Liddell Hart, The Letters of Private Wheeler, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Company; Cambridge, Mass.: The Riverside Press, published 1952, →OCLC, page 2:
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 January 10, T[homas] D[udley] Fosbroke, “[Monument of Robert [Curthose] Duke of Normandy]”, in The Gentleman’s Magazine, volume V (New Series), London: William Pickering; John Bowyer Nichols and Son, published March 1836, →OCLC, page 241, column 2: