pounce

Pounce is to jump on something, to take quick and decisive action or to swoop in and catch or attack something.

(verb)

When a cat suddenly jumps on a mouse, this is an example of when the cat pounces on the mouse.
When a politician you do not like comes to your school to talk and you immediately jump all over him with aggressive questions, this is an example of when you pounce.
When you are given the chance to invest in a hot new company and you jump on that chance right away, this is an example of when you pounce.

See pounce in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Origin: ME pownce, talon, prob. altered < MFr poinçon, sharp instrument, stiletto: see puncheon

intransitive verb pounced, pouncing

to swoop down, spring, or leap (on, upon, or at a person or thing) in, or as in, attacking or seizing

Related Forms:

noun

a fine powder, as pulverized cuttlefish bone, formerly used to prevent ink from blotting or to prepare the writing surface of parchment
a fine powder sprinkled over a stencil to make a design, as on cloth

Origin: Fr ponce < L pumex, pumice

transitive verb pounced, pouncing

See pounce in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb pounced pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es

verb, intransitive

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

verb, transitive

To seize with or as if with talons.

noun

Origin:

Origin: From Middle English, pointed tool, talon of a hawk

Origin: , perhaps variant of ponson, pointed tool; see puncheon¹

Related Forms:

noun

A fine powder formerly used to smooth and finish writing paper and soak up ink.
A fine powder, such as pulverized charcoal, dusted over a stencil to transfer a design to an underlying surface.

transitive verb pounced pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es