punt

¹

[ puhnt ]

noun

1. Football. a kick in which the ball is dropped and then kicked before it touches the ground. Compare drop kick, place kick.
2. a small, shallow boat having a flat bottom and square ends, usually used for short outings on rivers or lakes and propelled by poling.
3. Glassmaking. kick ( def 23b ).

verb (used with object)

1. Football. to kick (a dropped ball) before it touches the ground.
2. to propel (a small boat) by thrusting against the bottom of a lake or stream, especially with a pole.
3. to convey in or as if in a punt.

verb (used without object)

1. to punt a football.
2. to propel a boat by thrusting a pole against the bottom of a river, stream, or lake.
3. to travel or have an outing in a punt.
4. Informal. to equivocate or delay:

   If they ask you for exact sales figures, you'll have to punt.

punt

²

[ puhnt ]

verb (used without object)

1. Cards. to lay a stake against the bank, as at faro.
2. Slang. to gamble, especially to bet on horse races or other sporting events.

noun

1. Cards. a person who lays a stake against the bank.

punt

³

[ poont, puhnt ]

noun

1. a monetary unit of the Republic of Ireland until the euro was adopted, equal to 100 pence; Irish pound.

punt

⁴

[ puhnt ]

noun

1. kick ( def 23b ).

Punt

⁵

[ poont ]

noun

1. an ancient Egyptian name of an area not absolutely identified but believed to be Somaliland.

punt

¹

/ pʊnt /

noun

1. (formerly) the Irish pound

punt

²

/ pʌnt /

noun

1. a kick in certain sports, such as rugby, in which the ball is released and kicked before it hits the ground
2. any long high kick

verb

1. to kick (a ball, etc) using a punt

punt

³

/ pʌnt /

noun

1. an open flat-bottomed boat with square ends, propelled by a pole See quant 1

verb

1. to propel (a boat, esp a punt) by pushing with a pole on the bottom of a river, etc

punt

⁴

/ pʌnt /

verb

1. intr to gamble; bet

noun

1. a gamble or bet, esp against the bank, as in roulette, or on horses
2. Also calledpunter a person who bets
3. take a punt at informal.
   to have an attempt or try at (something)

Other Words From

• punter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of punt¹

First recorded before 1000; 1835–45 punt ¹fordef 1; Old English: “flat-bottomed boat” (not attested in Middle English ), from Latin pontō “pontoon, punt” ( pontoon ¹none ); the sense “to kick a dropped ball” comes perhaps via the semse “to propel (a boat) by shoving”

Origin of punt²

First recorded in 1705–15; from French ponter, derivative of ponte “punter; point in faro,” from Spanish punto; point

Origin of punt³

First recorded in 1970–75; from Irish, from English pound ²

Origin of punt⁴

First recorded in 1820–25; probably shortening of punty ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of punt¹

Irish Gaelic: pound

Origin of punt²

C19: perhaps a variant of English dialect bunt to push, perhaps a nasalized variant of butt ³

Origin of punt³

Old English punt shallow boat, from Latin pontō punt, pontoon ¹

Origin of punt⁴

C18: from French ponter to punt, from ponte bet laid against the banker, from Spanish punto point, from Latin punctum

Example Sentences

His critics complained that too often, it meant run, run, pass on third down and either move the chains or punt.

From Washington Post

The Bucs got the ball at their 30 following a 27-yard punt by the Chiefs’ Tommy Townsend.

From Washington Post

The Heisman Trophy winner caught 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, and he also scored a touchdown on a punt return.

From Washington Post

This time, the Browns got the ball back on a Steelers punt, rather than a turnover, but the result was eventually the same.

From Washington Post

Rivera said he is sticking with punt returner Steven Sims — who has fumbled punts in the past two games — saying he was watching Sims catch live punts on the fields outside his window while on the teleconference.

From Washington Post

“Cunt punt” earned her mentions on The Daily Show, and a place in the Urban Dictionary.

From The Daily Beast

Punt Return Brings 49ers Closer How did San Francisco score so much in such little time, you ask?

From The Daily Beast

If you thought Lucy was going to get into the Thanksgiving spirit and finally let Charlie Brown punt that football, think again.

From The Daily Beast

For you, Saturn trining Neptune is a wake-up call to document ideas, first, and then punt them out into the universe.

From The Daily Beast

And yet when confronted with a bona fide epidemic in its southern desert, Arizona has chosen to punt.

From The Daily Beast

Looking round the long table he saw the Comte de Lussigny sitting in the punt.

From Project Gutenberg

He knew she was quite capable of handling the punt, even in the rapids, so he merely growled his acquiescence.

From Project Gutenberg

Twas irresistible––to be accomplished with the fool of Twist Tickle and his clever punt.

From Project Gutenberg

Twas by him reported that a maid of gentle breeding had come alone in a punt to Topmast in the night.

From Project Gutenberg

He says he is determined to learn to row, and to swim, and to punt, and to fish.

From Project Gutenberg