haymaker

American  

[hey-mey-ker] / ˈheɪˌmeɪ kər /

noun

1. a person or machine that cuts hay and spreads it to dry.

2. Slang. a punch delivered with great force, especially one that results in a knockout.

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haymaker British  

/ ˈheɪˌmeɪkə /

noun

1. a person who helps to cut, turn, toss, spread, or carry hay

2. Also called: hay conditioner.  either of two machines, one designed to crush stems of hay, the other to break and bend them, in order to cause more rapid and even drying

3. slang boxing a wild swinging punch

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Other Word Forms

• haymaking adjective

Etymology

Origin of haymaker

1400–50; 1910–15 haymaker for def. 2; late Middle English heymakere. See hay, maker

Example Sentences

In the wake of double haymakers inflicted by the pandemic and the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023, the ground is fertile for the AI revolution to seed all kinds of second-rate content.

From Salon

It came when two brothers dropped their gloves within the first three seconds of a game and started throwing ferocious haymakers at a couple of unsuspecting Canadians.

From The Wall Street Journal

If everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face, England have taken a haymaker and kept their plans intact.

From BBC

She said Jackson was not the aggressor and had not thrown a "haymaker".

From BBC

Months of soul searching had led USC to the brink of that moment Saturday, having fought its way back once, then again, then again, returning every haymaker from Michigan with a punch of its own.

From Los Angeles Times