# pounce
## English
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /paʊns/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -aʊns

### Etymology 1

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

#### Noun

pounce (usually uncountable, plural pounces)
* (historical) A type of fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, sprinkled over wet ink to dry the ink after writing or on rough paper to smooth the writing surface.
** 2021, A. K. Blakemore, The Manningtree Witches, Granta Books, page 120:At the Thorn, or at a meagre kitchen table, or even on the carpenter’s workbench, he spreads open the portfolio, lights a candle stub, slices a fresh quill, and arranges pounce pot and ink well.
* (historical) Charcoal dust, or some other coloured powder for making patterns through perforated designs, used by embroiderers, lacemakers, etc.

##### Derived terms

* pounce wheel

##### Translations
#### Verb

pounce (third-person singular simple present pounces, present participle pouncing, simple past and past participle pounced)
* (transitive) To sprinkle or rub with pounce powder.
    to pounce paper, or a pattern

### Etymology 2

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

#### Noun

pounce (plural pounces)
* A sudden leaping attack.
** 1999, Niki Anderson, Inspurrrational Stories for Cat Lovers:Again the cat jolted the bed with a pounce.
* (archaic) The claw or talon of a bird of prey.
** March 22 1775, Edmund Burke, speech in the House of Commons on conciliation with America
    You have , indeed , winged ministers of vengeance, who carry your bolts in their pounces to the remotest verge of the sea
** 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:And from her griping pounce the greedy prey doth quarry
* A punch or stamp.
** 1602, John Withals, A Dictionarie in English and Latine for Children:a pounce to print money with
* Cloth worked in eyelet holes.
** 1571, John Jewel et al., “An Homily Against excess of apparel”, in The Second Tome of Homilees […] :one spendeth his patrimony upon pounces and cuts

#### Verb

pounce (third-person singular simple present pounces, present participle pouncing, simple past and past participle pounced)
* (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.
* (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.
* (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.
* (transitive) To strike or seize with the talons; to pierce, as with the talons.
** 1782, William Cowper, Table Talk:Stooped from his highest pitch to pounce a wren.
** 1621, John Fletcher, The Pilgrim (play):Now pounce him lightly, / And as he roars and rages, let's go deeper.
* (transitive) To stamp holes in; to perforate.

##### Synonyms

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

##### Translations
### References

* “pounce”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

### Anagrams

* Cupeño

## Middle English
### Noun

pounce
* Alternative form of paunche