pounce
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Related to pounces: pounce upon
pounce 1
(pouns)intr.v. pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es
1. 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.
2. To attack or criticize suddenly: troops that pounced on a convoy; a reporter who pounced on a politician's change of position.
3. To turn the attention to and try to take advantage of: pounce on an opportunity; pounced on his mistake.
n.
The act or an instance of pouncing.
[From Middle English, pointed tool, talon of a hawk, shortening of ponson, pointed tool, variant of punchon, pointed tool; see puncheon1.]
pounc′er n.
pounce 2
(pouns)n.
1. A fine powder formerly used to smooth and finish writing paper and soak up ink.
2. A fine powder, such as pulverized charcoal, dusted over a stencil to transfer a design to an underlying surface.
tr.v. pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es
1. To sprinkle, smooth, or treat with pounce.
2. To transfer (a stenciled design) with pounce.
[French ponce, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *pōmex, *pōmic-, from Latin pūmex, pumice.]
pounc′er n.
pounce 3
(pouns)tr.v. pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es
To ornament (metal, for example) by perforating from the back with a pointed implement.
[Middle English pouncen, probably from Old French poinssonner, from poinson, pointed tool; see puncheon1.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pounce
(paʊns)vb
(intr; often foll by on or upon) to spring or swoop, as in capturing prey
n
1. the act of pouncing; a spring or swoop
2. (Zoology) the claw of a bird of prey
[C17: apparently from Middle English punson pointed tool; see puncheon2]
ˈpouncer n
pounce
(paʊns)vb
(Crafts) (tr) to emboss (metal) by hammering from the reverse side
[C15 pounsen, from Old French poinçonner to stamp; perhaps the same as pounce1]
pounce
(paʊns)n
1. (Historical Terms) 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. (Art Terms) 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.
vb (tr)
4. (Historical Terms) to dust (paper) with pounce
5. (Art Terms) to transfer (a design) by means of pounce
[C18: from Old French ponce, from Latin pūmex pumice]
ˈpouncer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pounce1
(paʊns)v. pounced, pounc•ing,
n. v.i.
1. to swoop down or spring suddenly, as an animal in seizing its prey.
2. to seize eagerly or suddenly: We pounced on the opportunity.
3. to make a sudden attack: to pounce on every mistake.
n. 4. a sudden swoop, as or as if on an object of prey.
5. the claw or talon of a bird of prey.
[1375–1425; late Middle English; perhaps akin to punch1]
pounc′ing•ly, adv.
pounce2
(paʊns)v.t. pounced, pounc•ing.
to emboss (metal) by hammering on an instrument applied on the reverse side.
[1350–1400; Middle English; perhaps identical with pounce1]
pounce3
(paʊns)n., v. pounced, pounc•ing. n.
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.
v.t. 3. to sprinkle, smooth, or prepare with pounce.
4. to trace (a design) with pounce.
[1700–10; < French ponce « Latin pūmicem, acc. of pūmex pumice]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
pounce
Past participle: pounced
Gerund: pouncing
| Imperative |
|---|
| pounce |
| pounce |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  pounce - the act of pouncing |
| Verb | 1. | pounce - move down on as if in an attack; "The raptor swooped down on its prey"; "The teacher swooped down upon the new students" come down, descend, go down, fall - move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way; "The temperature is going down"; "The barometer is falling"; "The curtain fell on the diva"; "Her hand went up and then fell again" stoop - descend swiftly, as if on prey; "The eagle stooped on the mice in the field" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
pounce
pounce on something or someone
1. attack, ambush, leap at, take someone by surprise, take someone unawares At that moment, a guard pounced on him.
2. spring on, attack, snatch, jump on, drop on, swoop on, fall upon, leap at, dash at, bound onto like a tiger pouncing on its prey
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
pounce
(pauns) verb to jump suddenly, in order to seize or attack. The cat waited beside the bird-cage, ready to pounce. saltar sobre; precipitarse; abalanzarse sobre
nounpounce on to leap upon (eg one's prey) in order to attack or grab it. The tiger pounced on its victim. saltar sobre; abalanzarse sobre
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.