Word
punching
Phoneticspunch·ing
US/ˈpəntʃɪŋ/
UK/pˈʌntʃɪŋ/
Definitions
01hitting with a fist
v. hitting someone or something with your closed hand.
v. striking with a closed fist; the present participle or gerund form of the transitive verb.
“He was punching the heavy bag at the gym to relieve his stress.”
“The boxer spent the afternoon punching the speed bag, focusing on his rhythm and hand-eye coordination before the upcoming match.”
02dating someone more attractive
v. dating someone who is much more attractive or successful than you are.
v. a clipping of the idiom 'punching above one's weight', used to describe a person in a relationship with a partner perceived as more attractive.
“Look at his beautiful girlfriend—he is definitely punching.”
“When the actor revealed his new partner, fans on social media joked that he was punching, given her background as a world-class supermodel.”
British English · Informal · Slang
Usage
Usually used in the continuous form 'be punching'.
Teaching tip
This is very common in British social media and casual conversation; it is usually meant as a lighthearted joke rather than a serious insult.
Synonyms
03making holes
n. the act of making holes in something, like paper or metal.
n. the process of perforating or creating holes in a material using a tool or machine.
“The machine is used for punching holes in leather belts.”
“The industrial punching of the steel sheets required a high-pressure hydraulic press to ensure clean edges for the assembly line.”
Technical
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“A Sydney woman who survived a shark attack has described the moment she came face-to-face with a 4m great white before repeatedly punching it.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/punching