punch

Etymology 1

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”).

noun

1. (countable) 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. November 3, 2011, Chris Bevan, “Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham”, in BBC Sport
2. (countable, rare) A blow from something other than the fist.
   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. (uncountable) Power, strength, energy.
4. (uncountable) Impact.

verb

1. (transitive) To strike with one's fist.
   If she punches me, I'm gonna break her nose.
2. (transitive, of cattle) To herd.
3. (transitive) 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
   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. (transitive) To enter (information) on a device or system.
5. (transitive) To hit (a ball or similar object) with less than full force.
   He punched a hit into shallow left field.
6. (transitive) To make holes in something (rail ticket, leather belt, etc)
7. To thrust against; to poke.
   to punch one with the end of a stick or the elbow
8. (intransitive, UK, slang) Ellipsis of punch above one's weight; especially, to date somebody more attractive than oneself.
9. (transitive) In winemaking, to perform pigeage: to stamp down grape skins that float to the surface during fermentation.
10. (transitive) To emphasize, to give emphasis to something.
    Getting a little tired of you punching that word.

Etymology 2

Shortened form of puncheon, from Middle English punchoun, from Old French ponchon (“pointed tool”), from Latin punctio, from punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō (“I prick”).

noun

1. (countable) 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.
   1. (countable) A mechanism for punching holes in paper or other thin material.
2. (countable) A hole or opening created with a punch.
3. (piledriving) An extension piece applied to the top of a pile; a dolly.
4. A prop, as for the roof of a mine.

verb

1. To employ a punch to create a hole in or stamp or emboss a mark on something.
2. To mark a ticket.

Etymology 3

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 पञ्चन् (páñcan). Doublet of five, cinque, pimp, and Pompeii.

noun

1. A beverage, generally containing a mixture of fruit juice and some other beverage, often alcoholic.

Etymology 4

From Punch.

noun

1. (entomology) Any of various riodinid butterflies of the genus Dodona of Asia.