punch bowl

American  

noun

1. a large bowl from which punch, lemonade, etc., is served, usually with a ladle.

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Etymology

Origin of punch bowl

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

In an era of increasingly coy, event-specific signature cocktails — and the quiet pressure of an open bar — there’s something deeply charming about a punch bowl.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2026

Is Wall Street ready to have the proverbial punch bowl taken away?

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Brass angel candlesticks scored for $2 apiece at a Palo Alto garage sale flank a silver-plated punch bowl.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

Though Blue Owl has three lines of business, private credit—specifically direct lending in private-equity deals—is the firm’s calling card and growth engine, and the straw that’s stirring Wall Street’s punch bowl lately.

From Barron's • Oct. 24, 2025

On the sideboard, a cut-glass punch bowl glinted, filled with mulled red wine redolent of cloves.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly