Pounce Definition

pouns
pounced, pounces, pouncing
verb
pounced, pounces, pouncing
To sprinkle, rub, finish, or prepare with pounce.
Webster's New World
To swoop down, spring, or leap (on, upon, or at a person or thing) in, or as in, attacking or seizing.
Webster's New World
To stencil with pounce.
Webster's New World
To attack or criticize suddenly.
Troops that pounced on a convoy; a reporter who pounced on a politician's change of position.
American Heritage
To ornament (metal, for example) by perforating from the back with a pointed implement.
American Heritage
noun
pounces
The act or an instance of pouncing.
American Heritage
A claw or talon of a bird of prey.
Webster's New World
The act of pouncing; swoop, spring, or leap.
Webster's New World
A fine powder, as pulverized cuttlefish bone, formerly used to prevent ink from blotting or to prepare the writing surface of parchment.
Webster's New World
A fine powder sprinkled over a stencil to make a design, as on cloth.
Webster's New World

Origin of Pounce

  • From Middle English pointed tool, talon of a hawk shortening of ponson pointed tool variant of punchon pointed tool puncheon1

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English pouncen probably from Old French poinssonner from poinson pointed tool puncheon1

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • French ponce from Old French from Vulgar Latin pōmex *pōmic- from Latin pūmex pumice

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle English, probably akin to punch. Possibly from Old French poinçonner; cf. poinçon.

    From Wiktionary

  • From French ponce, from Latin pumex.

    From Wiktionary

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