pounce

¹

[ pouns ]

verb (used without object)

, pounced, pounc·ing.

1. to swoop down suddenly and grasp, as a bird does in seizing its prey.
2. to spring, dash, or come suddenly:

   Unexpectedly she pounced on the right answer.

verb (used with object)

, pounced, pounc·ing.

1. to seize (prey) suddenly:

   The bird quickly pounced its prey.

noun

1. the claw or talon of a bird of prey.
2. a sudden swoop, as on an object of prey.

   Synonyms: spring, lunge, leap

pounce

²

[ pouns ]

verb (used with object)

, pounced, pounc·ing.

1. to emboss (metal) by hammering on an instrument applied on the reverse side.

pounce

³

[ pouns ]

noun

1. a fine powder, as of cuttlebone, formerly used to prevent ink from spreading in writing, or to prepare parchment for writing.
2. a fine powder, often of charcoal, used in transferring a design through a perforated pattern.
3. Also called pounce bag,. a small bag filled with pounce and struck against a perforated design.

verb (used with object)

, pounced, pounc·ing.

1. to sprinkle, smooth, or prepare with pounce.
2. to trace (a design) with pounce.
3. to finish the surface of (hats) by rubbing with sandpaper or the like.

pounce

¹

/ paʊns /

verb

1. tr to emboss (metal) by hammering from the reverse side

pounce

²

/ paʊns /

verb

1. intr; often foll by on or upon to spring or swoop, as in capturing prey

noun

1. the act of pouncing; a spring or swoop
2. the claw of a bird of prey

pounce

³

/ paʊns /

noun

1. a very fine resinous powder, esp of cuttlefish bone, formerly used to dry ink or sprinkled over parchment or unsized writing paper to stop the ink from running
2. a fine powder, esp of charcoal, that is tapped through perforations in paper corresponding to the main lines of a design in order to transfer the design to another surface
3. ( as modifier )

   a pounce box

verb

1. to dust (paper) with pounce
2. to transfer (a design) by means of pounce

Derived Forms

• ˈpouncer, noun
• ˈpouncer, noun

Other Words From

• pouncing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of pounce¹

First recorded in 1375–1425 pounce ¹( fordef 4 ); late Middle English; perhaps akin to punch ¹

Origin of pounce²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pounsen, pounson, punchen, perhaps identical with pounce ¹

Origin of pounce³

First recorded in 1700–10; from French ponce, ultimately from Latin pūmic-, stem of pūmex pumice

Word History and Origins

Origin of pounce¹

C15 pounsen, from Old French poinçonner to stamp; perhaps the same as pounce ¹

Origin of pounce²

C17: apparently from Middle English punson pointed tool; see puncheon ²

Origin of pounce³

C18: from Old French ponce, from Latin pūmex pumice

Example Sentences

He got a married woman with two children to “escort” him to his room and then pounced.

From Salon

"All of a sudden there was a horrendous growl and this dog came running and pounced on Alfred," Ms Gunston said.

From BBC

Then, in what Betts called a “crazy” top of the fifth, the boys in blue pounced on errors and gaffes, scoring five runs and wiping out the Yankees’ 5-0 lead.

From Los Angeles Times

The firms’ recommendations were pounced on by supporters of Measure G, the governance reform measure on the Nov. 5 ballot.

From Los Angeles Times

The Harris campaign pounced on the joke, with the vice-president pointing to the comment as a sign that Trump is "fanning the fuel of trying to divide" Americans.

From BBC