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pounce

 - 7 dictionary results
Pound
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pounce

1  [pouns] verb, pounced, pounc⋅ing, noun
Use pounce in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to swoop down suddenly and grasp, as a bird does in seizing its prey.
2. to spring, dash, or come suddenly: Unexpectedly she pounced on the right answer.
–verb (used with object)
3. to seize (prey) suddenly: The bird quickly pounced its prey.
–noun
4. the claw or talon of a bird of prey.
5. a sudden swoop, as on an object of prey.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME; perh. akin to punch 1

Related forms:
pounc⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
5. leap, lunge, spring.
Pound
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pounce

2  [pouns]
–verb (used with object), pounced, pounc⋅ing.
to emboss (metal) by hammering on an instrument applied on the reverse side.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME; perh. identical with pounce 1

pounce

3  [pouns] noun, verb, pounced, pounc⋅ing.
–noun
1. a fine powder, as of cuttlebone, formerly used to prevent ink from spreading in writing, or to prepare parchment for writing.
2. a fine powder, often of charcoal, used in transferring a design through a perforated pattern.
3. Also called pounce bag, pounce box. a small bag filled with pounce and struck against a perforated design.
–verb (used with object)
4. to sprinkle, smooth, or prepare with pounce.
5. to trace (a design) with pounce.
6. to finish the surface of (hats) by rubbing with sandpaper or the like.
Origin:
1700–10; < F ponce ≪ L pūmicem, acc. of pūmex pumice

Related forms:
pouncer, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To pounce
pounce 1   (pouns)   
v.   pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es

v.   intr.

  1. To spring or swoop with intent to seize someone or something: a cat that pounced on a mouse; watched the falcon pounce on the baby rabbit.

  2. To attack suddenly: irregular troops who pounced on the convoy at a narrow pass; a colleague who pounced on me because of a mistake in my report.

  3. To seize something swiftly and eagerly: pounce on an opportunity.

v.   tr.
To seize with or as if with talons.
n.  

  1. The act or an instance of pouncing.

  2. The talon or claw of a bird of prey.


[From Middle English, pointed tool, talon of a hawk, perhaps variant of ponson, pointed tool; see puncheon1.]
pounc'er n.
pounce 2   (pouns)   
n.  

  1. A fine powder formerly used to smooth and finish writing paper and soak up ink.

  2. A fine powder, such as pulverized charcoal, dusted over a stencil to transfer a design to an underlying surface.

tr.v.   pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es

  1. To sprinkle, smooth, or treat with pounce.

  2. To transfer (a stenciled design) with pounce.


[French ponce, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *pōmex, *pōmic-, from Latin pūmex, pumice.]
pounc'er n.
pounce 3   (pouns)   
tr.v.   pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es
To ornament (metal, for example) by perforating from the back with a pointed implement.

[Middle English pouncen, probably from Old French poinssonner, from poinson, pointed tool; see puncheon1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

pounce  (v.)
1686, originally "to seize with the pounces," from pownse (n.) "hawk's claws" (1486), from O.Fr. poinçon (see punch (v.)), on the notion of the claws that punch holes in things. In falconry, the heel claw is a talon, and others are pounces.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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