pounce

Etymology 1

From French ponce, from Latin pūmex. Doublet of pumice.

noun

1. (historical) A type of fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, sprinkled over wet ink to dry the ink after writing or on rough paper to smooth the writing surface.
2. (historical) Charcoal dust, or some other coloured powder for making patterns through perforated designs, used by embroiderers, lacemakers, etc.

verb

1. (transitive) To sprinkle or rub with pounce powder.
   to pounce paper, or a pattern

Etymology 2

From Middle English pounce, probably akin to punch. Possibly from Old French ponchonner (compare French poinçonner).

noun

1. A sudden leaping attack.
   Again the cat jolted the bed with a pounce. 1999, Niki Anderson, Inspurrrational Stories for Cat Lovers
2. (archaic) The claw or talon of a bird of prey.
   March 22 1775, Edmund Burke, speech in the House of Commons on conciliation with America You have , indeed , winged ministers of vengeance, who carry your bolts in their pounces to the remotest verge of the sea
3. A punch or stamp.
   a pounce to print money with 1602, John Withals, A Dictionarie in English and Latine for Children
4. Cloth worked in eyelet holes.
   one spendeth his patrimony upon pounces and cuts 1571, John Jewel et al., “An Homily Against excess of apparel”, in The Second Tome of Homilees[…]

verb

1. (intransitive) To leap into the air intending to seize someone or something.
   The kitten pounced at the ball I threw to it.
   She pounced on the young man, because she loved him and wanted him for herself.
2. (intransitive) To attack suddenly by leaping.
   I was awakened from a dead sleep by my child pouncing on top of me from out of nowhere.
3. (intransitive) To eagerly seize an opportunity.
   I pounced on the chance to get promoted.
   While he was out of town on vacation, I pounced, leaking the photos.
   Why would I talk to the press and give them a chance to pounce on me?
   Irish debutant Conor Henderson - another ball-playing midfielder - probed for a gap through the back-line and the 19-year-old's deflected pass was pounced on by Tomas Rosicky, who sped to the byeline to clip a square ball through the legs of Charlie Daniels across the box. March 2, 2011, Chris Whyatt, “Arsenal 5 - 0 Leyton Orient”, in BBC
4. (transitive) To strike or seize with the talons; to pierce, as with the talons.
   Stooped from his highest pitch to pounce a wren. 1782, William Cowper, Table Talk
   Now pounce him lightly, / And as he roars and rages, let's go deeper. 1621, John Fletcher, The Pilgrim (play)
5. (transitive) To stamp holes in; to perforate.