Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - punch

~1 v 1 to hit someone or something hard with your fist (=closed hand)  (punch sb in/on sth)  (Gallacher swung round and punched me hard in the stomach. | punch sb/sth)  (I punched the wall in anger. | punch the air (=to make a movement like a punch, to show that you are very pleased about something)) 2 to make a hole in something using a metal tool or other sharp object  (punch a ticket/card etc)  (The guard punched my ticket. | punch a hole in/through sth)  (These bullets can punch a hole through 20mm steel plate.) 3 to push a button or key on a machine  (Sally punched the eighth floor button and the doors shut.) 4 AmE to move cattle from one place to another 5 punch holes in an argument/idea etc BrE to disagree with someone's idea or plan and show what is wrong with it 6 punch the clock AmE informal to record the time that you start or finish work by putting a card into a special machine 7 punch sb's lights out AmE informal to hit someone hard in the face punch in phr v 1 AmE to record the time that you arrive at work, by putting a card into a special machine; clock in 2 T punch something in) to put information into a computer by pressing buttons or keys punch out phr v AmE 1 to record the time that you leave work, by putting a card into a special machine; clock out 2 T punch someone out) to hit someone so hard that they fall over ~2 n 1 a quick strong hit made with your fist (=closed hand)  (punch in/on etc)  (a punch in the kidneys | throw a punch (=aim a punch at someone)) 2 a strong, effective quality in the way that you express things that makes people interested  (The speech was O.K. but it had no real punch.) 3 a metal tool for cutting holes or for pushing something into a small hole  (a hole punch) 4 a drink made from fruit juice, sugar, water, and usually some alcohol  (a bowl of rum punch) 5 as pleased as Punch very happy  (He's as pleased as Punch about the baby.) 6 beat sb/sth to the punch informal to do or get something before someone else 7 not pull any punches informal to express your disapproval very clearly, without trying to hide what you feel  (He wasn't pulling any punches! He said my work was `pathetic'.)  (- see also pack a (hard) punch pack1 (10))