[pʌn], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings
(e.g: the Railway Society reception was an informal party of people of all stations (excuse the pun) in life)


Phrases:

Origin:
mid 17th century: perhaps an abbreviation of obsolete pundigrion, as a fanciful alteration of punctilio

[pʌn], (Verb)

Definitions:
- make a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word
(e.g: his first puzzle punned on composers, with answers like ‘Handel with care’ and ‘Haydn go seek’)


Phrases:

Origin:
mid 17th century: perhaps an abbreviation of obsolete pundigrion, as a fanciful alteration of punctilio

[pʌn], (Verb)

Definitions:
- consolidate (earth or rubble) by pounding it


Phrases:

Origin:
mid 19th century: dialect variant of pound