pounce

• IPA^(key): /paʊns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊns

From French ponce, from Latin pumex. Doublet of pumice.

pounce (usually uncountable, plural pounces)

1. (historical) A type of fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, sprinkled over wet ink to dry the ink after writing.
2. (historical) Charcoal dust, or some other coloured powder for making patterns through perforated designs, used by embroiderers, lace makers, etc.

pounce (third-person singular simple present pounces, present participle pouncing, simple past and past participle pounced)

1. (transitive) To sprinkle or rub with pounce powder.

   to pounce paper, or a pattern

From Middle English, probably akin to punch. Possibly from Old French ponchonner (compare French poinçonner).

pounce (plural pounces)

1. A sudden leaping attack.
   • 1999, Niki Anderson, Inspurrrational Stories for Cat Lovers

     Again the cat jolted the bed with a pounce.

2. The claw or talon of a bird of prey.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Burke to this entry?)

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)

3. A punch or stamp.
   • Withals

     a pounce to print money with

4. Cloth worked in eyelet holes.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Homilies to this entry?)

pounce (third-person singular simple present pounces, present participle pouncing, simple past and past participle pounced)

1. (intransitive) To leap into the air intending to seize someone or something.

   The kitten pounced at the ball I threw to it.

   She pounced on the young man, because she loved him and wanted him for herself.

2. (intransitive) To attack suddenly by leaping.

   I was awakened from a dead sleep by my child pouncing on top of me from out of nowhere.

3. (intransitive) To eagerly seize an opportunity.

   I pounced on the chance to get promoted.

   While he was out of town on vacation, I pounced, leaking the photos.

   Why would I talk to the press and give them a chance to pounce on me?

   • 2011 March 2, Chris Whyatt, “Arsenal 5 - 0 Leyton Orient”, in BBC‎:

     Irish debutant Conor Henderson - another ball-playing midfielder - probed for a gap through the back-line and the 19-year-old's deflected pass was pounced on by Tomas Rosicky, who sped to the byeline to clip a square ball through the legs of Charlie Daniels across the box.

4. (transitive) To strike or seize with the talons; to pierce, as with the talons.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Cowper

     Stooped from his highest pitch to pounce a wren.

   • (Can we date this quote?), John Fletcher

     Now pounce him lightly, / And as he roars and rages, let's go deeper.

5. (transitive) To stamp holes in; to perforate.

• (instance of propelling oneself into air): leap, jump, bounce
• (instance of causing oneself to fall from an elevated place): strike, attack

• pounce at OneLook Dictionary Search

• Cupeño