punching
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to punching: punching shear, punching bags
punch 1
(pŭnch)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.
v. punched, punch·ing, punch·es
v.tr.
1. To make (a hole or opening), as by using a punch or similar implement.
2. To make a hole in (something), as by using a punch: The conductor punched my train ticket.
v.intr.
To pierce something; make a hole or opening: My foot punched through the ice.
[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.]
punch′er n.
punch 2
(pŭnch)tr.v. punched, punch·ing, punch·es
1.
a. To hit with a sharp blow of the fist.
b. To drive (the fist) into or through something.
c. To drive (a ball, for example) with the fist.
d. To make (a hole) by thrusting the fist.
2.
a. Archaic To poke or prod with a stick.
b. Western US To herd (cattle).
3. To depress (the accelerator of a car) forcefully.
4.
a. To depress (a key or button, for example) in order to activate a device or perform an operation: punched the "repeat" key.
b. To enter (data) by keying: punched in the number on the computer.
5. Baseball To hit (a ball) with a quick short swing.
n.
Phrasal Verbs: 1. A blow with the fist.
2. Impressive or effective force; impact. See Synonyms at vigor.
punch in
1. To check in formally at a job upon arrival.
2. To enter data on a keypad or similar device.
punch out
1. To check out formally at a job upon departure.
2. To hit (someone) with a powerful punch, often so as to render unconscious.
3. Baseball To call (a batter) out on a third strike, often using a punching motion as a signal.
punch up
Idioms: To enliven or enhance: punched up the report by adding some relevant cartoons.
beat to the punch
To make the first decisive move: a marketing team that beat all the competitors to the punch.
punch the clock
1. To register one's arrive or departure at a job.
2. To be employed at a job with regular hours.
[Middle English punchen, to thrust, prod, prick, from Old French poinçonner, ponchonner, to emboss with a punch, from poinçon, ponchon, pointed tool; see puncheon1.]
punch′less adj.
punch 3
(pŭnch)n.
A beverage of fruit juices and sometimes a soft drink or carbonated water, often spiced and mixed with a wine or liquor base.
[From Hindi pañc-, five, probably as used in pañcāmr̥t, a mixture of milk, yogurt, ghee, sugar, and honey used in Hindu ritual, from Sanskrit pañcāmṛtam : pañca, five; see penkwe in Indo-European roots + amṛtam, amrita.]
Punch
(pŭnch)n.
Idiom: The quarrelsome hook-nosed husband of Judy in the comic puppet show Punch and Judy.
pleased as Punch
Highly pleased; gratified.
[Short for Punchinello.]
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.
Translations
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007