punch

a thrusting blow, especially with the fist.

forcefulness, effectiveness, or pungency in content or appeal; vigor; zest.

This ad copy you wrote isn't bad, but it needs more punch.

to give a sharp thrust or blow to, especially with the fist.

Synonyms:

pummel, drub, hit, strike

Western U.S. and Western Canada. to drive (cattle).

to poke or prod, as with a stick.

Informal. to deliver (lines in a play, a musical passage, or the like) with vigor.

to strike or hit in operating.

She punched the elevator button and waited for the doors to open.

to put into operation with or as if with a blow.

I punched the time clock at that factory every morning and evening for 35 years.

Baseball. to hit (the ball) with a short, chopping motion rather than with a full swing.

He punched a soft liner just over third base for a base hit.

punch up

1. to call up (information) on a computer by the use of a keyboard.

   She punched up a list of hotel reservations.

2. Informal. to enliven, as with fresh ideas or additional material.

   You'd better punch up that speech with a few jokes.

punch away to keep trying or working, especially in difficult or discouraging circumstances; persevere.

How long have you been punching away at the same old job?

punch in

1. to record one's time of arrival at work by punching a time clock.

2. to keyboard (information) into a computer.

   I was punching in the inventory figures when the system crashed.

punch out

1. to record one's time of departure from work by punching a time clock.

2. Slang. to beat up or knock out with the fists.

3. to extract (information) from a computer by the use of a keyboard.

   This function lets you quickly punch out a report when sales audit time comes along.

4. to bail out; eject from an aircraft.

a tool or machine for perforating or stamping materials, driving nails, etc.

the solid upper die of a punch press, used with a hollow die to blank out shaped pieces of sheet metal or the like.

to strike blows (at), esp with a clenched fist

(tr) to herd or drive (cattle), esp for a living

(tr) to poke or prod with a stick or similar object

to do something that is considered to be beyond one's ability

a tool or machine for piercing holes in a material

any of various tools used for knocking a bolt, rivet, etc, out of a hole

a tool or machine used for stamping a design on something or shaping it by impact

the solid die of a punching machine for cutting, stamping, or shaping material

computing a device, such as a card punch or tape punch, used for making holes in a card or paper tape

See centre punch