Punctiform Punc"ti·form adjective [ Latin
punctum point +
-form .]
Having the form of a point.
Punctilio Punc·til"io (pŭnk*tĭl"yo)
noun ;
plural Punctilios (- yōz). [ Italian
puntiglio , or Spanish
puntillo , dim. from Latin
punctum point. See
Point ,
noun ]
A nice point of exactness in conduct, ceremony, or proceeding; particularity or exactness in forms; as, the punctilios of a public ceremony. They will not part with the least punctilio in their opinions and practices.
Fuller.
Punctilious Punc·til"ious (-yŭs)
adjective [ Confer Italian
puntiglioso , Spanish
puntilloso .]
Attentive to punctilio; very nice or exact in the forms of behavior, etiquette, or mutual intercourse; precise; exact in the smallest particulars. "A
punctilious observance of divine laws."
Rogers. "Very
punctilious copies of any letters."
The Nation. Punctilious in the simple and intelligible instances of common life.
I. Taylor. --
Punc*til"ious*ly ,
adverb --
Punc*til"ious*ness ,
noun
Punction Punc"tion noun [ Latin
punctio , from
pungere ,
punctum , to prick: confer French
ponction . Confer
Puncheon .]
A puncturing, or pricking; a puncture.
Punctist Punc"tist noun A punctator. E. Henderson.
Puncto Punc"to noun [ See
Punto .]
1. A nice point of form or ceremony. Bacon. 2. A term applied to the point in fencing. Farrow.
Punctual Punc"tu·al adjective [ French
ponctuel (cf. Spanish
puntual , Italian
puntuale ), from Latin
punctum point. See
Point .]
1. Consisting in a point; limited to a point; unextended. [ R.] "This
punctual spot."
Milton. The theory of the punctual existence of the soul.
Krauth. 2. Observant of nice points; punctilious; precise. Punctual to tediousness in all that he relates.
Bp. Burnet. So much on punctual niceties they stand.
C. Pitt. 3. Appearing or done at, or adhering exactly to, a regular or an appointed time; precise; prompt; as, a punctual man; a punctual payment. "The race of the undeviating and
punctual sun."
Cowper. These sharp strokes [ of a pendulum], with their inexorably steady intersections, so agree with our successive thoughts that they seem like the punctual stops counting off our very souls into the past.
J. Martineau.
Punctualist Punc"tu·al·ist noun One who is very exact in observing forms and ceremonies. Milton.
Punctuality Punc`tu·al"i·ty noun [ Confer French
ponctualité .]
The quality or state of being punctual; especially, adherence to the exact time of an engagement; exactness.
Punctually Punc"tu·al·ly adverb In a punctual manner; promptly; exactly.
Punctualness Punc"tu·al·ness noun Punctuality; exactness.
Punctuate Punc"tu·ate transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Punctuated ;
present participle & verbal noun Punctuating .] [ Confer French
ponctuer . See
Punctual .]
To mark with points; to separate into sentences, clauses, etc., by points or stops which mark the proper pauses in expressing the meaning.
Punctuation Punc`tu·a"tion noun [ Confer French
ponctuation .]
(Gram.) The act or art of punctuating or pointing a writing or discourse; the art or mode of dividing literary composition into sentences, and members of a sentence, by means of points, so as to elucidate the author's meaning. »
Punctuation , as the term is usually understood, is chiefly performed with four points: the
period [ .], the
colon [ :], the
semicolon [ ;], and the
comma [ ,]. Other points used in writing and printing, partly rhetorical and partly grammatical, are the
note of interrogation [ ?], the
note of exclamation [ !], the
parentheses [ ()], the
dash [ --], and
brackets [ ]. It was not until the 16th century that an approach was made to the present system of punctuation by the Manutii of Venice. With Caxton, oblique strokes took the place of commas and periods.
Punctuative Punc"tu·a·tive adjective Of or belonging to points of division; relating to punctuation. The punctuative intonation of feeble cadence.
Rush.
Punctuator Punc"tu·a`tor noun One who punctuates, as in writing; specifically, a punctator.
Punctuist Punc"tu·ist noun A punctator.
Punctulate, Punctulated Punc"tu·late, Punc"tu·la`ted adjective [ Latin
punctulum , dim. of
punctum point.]
Marked with small spots. The studs have their surface punctulated , as if set all over with other studs infinitely lesser.
Woodward.
Punctum Punc"tum noun [ Latin , a point.]
A point. Puncturation Punc`tu·ra"tion noun The act or process of puncturing. See Acupuncture .
Puncture Punc"ture noun [ Latin
punctura , from
pungere ,
punctum , to prick. See
Pungent .]
1. The act of puncturing; perforating with something pointed. 2. A small hole made by a point; a slight wound, bite, or sting; as, the puncture of a nail, needle, or pin. A lion may perish by the puncture of an asp.
Rambler.
Puncture Punc"ture transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Punctured ;
present participle & verbal noun Puncturing .]
To pierce with a small, pointed instrument, or the like; to prick; to make a puncture in; as, to puncture the skin.
Punctured Punc"tured adjective 1. Having the surface covered with minute indentations or dots. 2. (Medicine) Produced by puncture; having the characteristics of a puncture; as, a punctured wound.
Pundit Pun"dit noun [ Hind.
pandit , Sanskrit
pandita a learned man.]
A learned man; a teacher; esp., a Brahman versed in the Sanskrit language, and in the science, laws, and religion of the Hindoos; in Cashmere, any clerk or native official. [ Written also
pandit .] [ India]
Pundle Pun"dle noun [ Confer
Bundle .]
A short and fat woman; a squab. [ Obsolete]
Punese Pu"nese noun [ French
punaise , from
punais stinking, from Latin
putere .]
(Zoology) A bedbug. [ R or Obsolete]
Pung Pung noun [ Etymol. uncertain.]
A kind of plain sleigh drawn by one horse; originally, a rude oblong box on runners. [ U.S.]
Sledges or pungs , coarsely framed of split saplings, and surmounted with a large crockery crate.
Judd. They did not take out the pungs to- day.
E. E. Hale.
Pungence Pun"gence noun [ See
Pungent .]
Pungency.
Pungency Pun"gen·cy noun The quality or state of being pungent or piercing; keenness; sharpness; piquancy; as, the pungency of ammonia. "The
pungency of menaces."
Hammond.
Pungent Pun"gent adjective [ Latin
pungens ,
-entis , present participle of
pungere ,
punctum , to prick. Confer
Compunction ,
Expunge ,
Poignant ,
Point ,
noun ,
Puncheon ,
Punctilio ,
Punt ,
transitive verb ]
1. Causing a sharp sensation, as of the taste, smell, or feelings; pricking; biting; acrid; as, a pungent spice. Pungent radish biting infant's tongue.
Shenstone. The pungent grains of titillating dust.
Pope. 2. Sharply painful; penetrating; poignant; severe; caustic; stinging. With pungent pains on every side.
Swift. His pungent pen played its part in rousing the nation.
J. R. Green. 3. (Botany) Prickly-pointed; hard and sharp. Syn. -- Acrid; piercing; sharp; penetrating; acute; keen; acrimonious; biting; stinging.
Pungently Pun"gent·ly adverb In a pungent manner; sharply.
Pungled Pun"gled adjective [ Etymol. uncertain.]
Shriveled or shrunken; -- said especially of grain which has lost its juices from the ravages of insects, such as the wheat midge, or Trips ( Thrips cerealium ).
Pungy Pung"y noun [ Etymol. uncertain.]
A small sloop or shallop, or a large boat with sails.
Punic Pu"nic adjective [ Latin
Punicus pertaining to Carthage, or its inhabitants, from
Poeni the Carthaginians.]
1. Of or pertaining to the ancient Carthaginians. 2. Characteristic of the ancient Carthaginians; faithless; treacherous; as, Punic faith. Yes, yes, his faith attesting nations own;
'T is Punic all, and to a proverb known.
H. Brooke.
Punice Pu"nice noun (Zoology) See Punese . [ Obsolete or R.]
Punice Pu"nice transitive verb To punish. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Puniceous, Punicial Pu·ni"ceous, Pu·ni"cial adjective [ Latin
puniceus , from
Punicus Punic.]
Of a bright red or purple color. [ R.]
Puniness Pu"ni·ness noun The quality or state of being puny; littleness; pettiness; feebleness.
Punish Pun"ish transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Punished ;
present participle & verbal noun Punishing .] [ Middle English
punischen , French
punir , from Latin
punire ,
punitum , akin to
poena punishment, penalty. See
Pain , and
-ish .]
1. To impose a penalty upon; to afflict with pain, loss, or suffering for a crime or fault, either with or without a view to the offender's amendment; to cause to suffer in retribution; to chasten; as, to punish traitors with death; a father punishes his child for willful disobedience. A greater power
Now ruled him, punished in the shape he sinned.
Milton. 2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense) upon the offender; to repay, as a fault, crime, etc., with pain or loss; as, to punish murder or treason with death. 3. To injure, as by beating; to pommel. [ Low]
Syn. -- To chastise; castigate; scourge; whip; lash; correct; discipline. See
Chasten .
Punish Pun"ish transitive verb To deal with roughly or harshly; -- chiefly used with regard to a contest; as, our troops punished the enemy. [ Colloq. or Slang]
Punishable Pun"ish·a·ble adjective [ Confer French
punissable .]
Deserving of, or liable to, punishment; capable of being punished by law or right; -- said of person or offenses. That time was, when to be a Protestant, to be a Christian, was by law as punishable as to be a traitor.
Milton. --
Pun"ish*a*ble*ness ,
noun
Punisher Pun"ish·er noun One who inflicts punishment.
Punishment Pun"ish·ment noun 1. The act of punishing. 2. Any pain, suffering, or loss inflicted on a person because of a crime or offense. I never gave them condign punishment .
Shak. The rewards and punishments of another life.
Locke. 3. (Law) A penalty inflicted by a court of justice on a convicted offender as a just retribution, and incidentally for the purposes of reformation and prevention.
Punishment Pun"ish·ment noun Severe, rough, or disastrous treatment. [ Colloq. or Slang]
Punition Pu·ni"tion noun [ Latin
punitio : confer French
punition . See
Punish .]
Punishment. [ R.]
Mir. for Mag.
Punitive Pu"ni·tive adjective Of or pertaining to punishment; involving, awarding, or inflicting punishment; as, punitive law or justice. If death be punitive , so, likewise, is the necessity imposed upon man of toiling for his subsistence.
I. Taylor. We shall dread a blow from the punitive hand.
Bagehot.
Punitory Pu"ni·to·ry adjective Punishing; tending to punishment; punitive. God . . . may make moral evil, as well as natural, at the same time both prudential and punitory .
A. Tucker.
Punk Punk noun [ Confer
Spunk .]
1. Wood so decayed as to be dry, crumbly, and useful for tinder; touchwood. 2. A fungus ( Polyporus fomentarius , etc.) sometimes dried for tinder; agaric. 3. An artificial tinder. See Amadou , and Spunk . 4. A prostitute; a strumpet. [ Obsoles.]
Shak.
Punka Pun"ka noun [ Hind.
pankhā fan.]
A machine for fanning a room, usually a movable fanlike frame covered with canvas, and suspended from the ceiling. It is kept in motion by pulling a cord. [ Hindostan] [ Written also
punkah .]
Malcom.
Punkie Punk"ie noun [ Orig. unknown.]
A minute biting fly of the genus Ceratopogon or allied genus of the family Chironomidæ , found in swarms in various densely wooded or mountaneous regions. [ U. S.]
Punkin Pun"kin noun A pumpkin. [ Colloq. U. S.]
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