punch

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations'punch', 'Punch': /ˈpʌntʃ/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/pʌntʃ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(punch)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
punch1 /pʌntʃ/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. [countable] a thrusting blow, esp. with the fist.
  2. forcefulness or effectiveness;
    power:[uncountable]Your writing lacks punch.

v. 
  1. to give a sharp thrust or blow to, esp. with the fist: [~ + object]punched him right in the nose.[no object]They started punching and wrestling.
  2. British Terms, Dialect Terms[~ + object][Western U.S. and Canada.]to drive (cattle).
  3. to strike or hit in operating: [~ + object]to punch an elevator button.[no object]punching at the computer keyboard.
  4. [~ + object] to put into operation with or as if with a blow:to punch a time clock.See punch in and punch out below.
  5. punch in:
    • [no object] to record one's time of arrival at work by punching a time clock.
    • Computing[~ + in + object] to enter (data), as into a computer, by striking keys:He punched in his password.
  6. punch out:
    • [no object] to record one's time of departure from work by punching a time clock.
    • Slang Termsto beat up with the fists: [~ + out + object]punched out the mugger.[~ + object + out]"I'll punch you out,'' he shouted.
  7. Informal Terms punch up, [~ + up + object] to add life, zest, or vigor to;
    enliven:added some jokes to punch up the sermon.
Idioms
  1. Idioms pull punches:
    • Idiomsto lessen the force of one's punches deliberately.
    • , Idioms, Informal Termsto restrain oneself;
      hold back:didn't pull any punches in voicing his displeasure.

punch•er, n. [countable]

punch2 /pʌntʃ/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Mechanical Engineeringa tool or machine for making holes or stamping materials, driving nails, etc.:a metal punch.
  2. a device for making holes, as in paper.

v. [~ + object]
  1. Mechanical Engineeringto make holes in, stamp, drive, etc., with a punch.
  2. to make (a hole) with a punch.

punch3 /pʌntʃ/USA pronunciation   n. [uncountable]
  1. Winea drink consisting of wine or spirits mixed with fruit juice, soda, etc., often sweetened and spiced.
  2. a beverage of fruit juices, sugar, and water.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
punch1  (punch),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a thrusting blow, esp. with the fist.
  2. forcefulness, effectiveness, or pungency in content or appeal;
    power;
    zest:a letter to voters that needs more punch.
  3. pull punches:
    • Idiomsto lessen deliberately the force of one's blows.
    • Informal Termsto act with restraint or hold back the full force or implications of something:He wasn't going to pull any punches when he warned them of what they would be up against.
  4. Idioms roll with the punches, [Informal.]to cope with and survive adversity:In the business world you quickly learn to roll with the punches.

v.t. 
  1. to give a sharp thrust or blow to, esp. with the fist.
  2. British Terms, Dialect Terms[Western U.S. and Western Canada.]to drive (cattle).
  3. to poke or prod, as with a stick.
  4. [Informal.]to deliver (lines in a play, a musical passage, or the like) with vigor.
  5. to strike or hit in operating:to punch the typewriter keys.
  6. to put into operation with or as if with a blow:to punch a time clock.
  7. Sport[Baseball.]to hit (the ball) with a short, chopping motion rather than with a full swing:He punched a soft liner just over third base for a base hit.

v.i. 
  1. to give a sharp blow to a person or thing, as with the fist:The boxer punches well.
  2. punch away, [Informal.]to keep trying or working, esp. in difficult or discouraging circumstances;
    persevere:punching away at the same old job.
  3. punch in:
    • to record one's time of arrival at work by punching a time clock.
    • Computingto keyboard (information) into a computer:to punch in the inventory figures.
  4. punch out:
    • to record one's time of departure from work by punching a time clock.
    • Slang Termsto beat up or knock out with the fists.
    • to extract (information) from a computer by the use of a keyboard:to punch out data on last week's sales.
    • to bail out;
      eject from an aircraft.
  5. Computing punch up:
    • to call up (information) on a computer by the use of a keyboard:to punch up a list of hotel reservations.
    • Informal Termsto enliven, as with fresh ideas or additional material:You'd better punch up that speech with a few jokes.
  • 1350–1400; Middle English punchen (verb, verbal); apparently variant of pounce1
punch′er, n. 
    5. strike, hit; drub, pummel.
punch2  (punch),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Mechanical Engineeringa tool or machine for perforating or stamping materials, driving nails, etc.
  2. Mechanical Engineeringthe solid upper die of a punch press, used with a hollow die to blank out shaped pieces of sheet metal or the like.

v.t. 
  1. Mechanical Engineeringto cut, stamp, pierce, perforate, form, or drive with a tool or machine that punches.

v.i. 
  1. Mechanical Engineeringto work at or on something with or as if with a mechanical punch.
  • short for puncheon2, reinforced by punch1 1495–1505
punch′a•ble, adj. 

punch3  (punch),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Winea beverage consisting of wine or spirits mixed with fruit juice, soda, water, milk, or the like, and flavored with sugar, spices, etc.
  2. a beverage of two or more fruit juices, sugar, and water, sometimes carbonated.
  • of uncertain origin, originally 1625–35

Punch  (punch),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Show Businessthe chief male character in a Punch-and-Judy show.
  2. Idioms pleased as Punch, highly pleased;
    delighted:They were pleased as Punch at having been asked to come along.
  • short for punchinello

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
punch /pʌntʃ/ vb
  1. to strike blows (at), esp with a clenched fist
  2. (transitive) Western US to herd or drive (cattle), esp for a living
  3. (transitive) to poke or prod with a stick or similar object
 n
  1. a blow with the fist
  2. informal telling force, point, or vigour: his arguments lacked punch
  3. pull one's punches ⇒ See pull
Etymology: 15th Century: perhaps a variant of pounce2ˈpuncher n
punch /pʌntʃ/ n
  1. a tool or machine for piercing holes in a material
  2. a tool or machine used for stamping a design on something or shaping it by impact
  3. the solid die of a punching machine for cutting, stamping, or shaping material
  4. a device, such as a card punch or tape punch, used for making holes in a card or paper tape
 vb
  1. (transitive) to pierce, cut, stamp, shape, or drive with a punch
Etymology: 14th Century: shortened from puncheon, from Old French ponçon; see puncheon2
punch /pʌntʃ/ n
  1. any mixed drink containing fruit juice and, usually, alcoholic liquor, generally hot and spiced
Etymology: 17th Century: perhaps from Hindi pānch, from Sanskrit pañca five; the beverage originally included five ingredients
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Punch /pʌntʃ/ n
  1. the main character in the traditional children's puppet show Punch and Judy
'punch' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
anticipate - Australian Rules - belt - Birtwistle - body blow - box - bring - bust - cardpunch - chop - clip - clump - cobbler - come at - conk - connect - cross - curate's egg - do for - dong - Guthrie - haymaker - hopper - hydroforming - jab - Judy - key punch - lead - matrix - Mayhew - nailset - pack - perforate - pile-driver - plug - poke - puck - punchbowl - punch-drunk - punched card - punch-up - punchy - puncheon - Punchinello - rabbit punch - ride - right - roundhouse - aim - aligning punch
Collocations: gave him a punch in the [stomach, face], took a punch to the [stomach], was [floored, knocked out] with one punch, more...

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