# punt

/ˈpənt/ (US) · /pˈʌnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/punt
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to kick a ball

verb · CEFR B1

to drop a ball and kick it before it hits the ground.

For teachers: to perform a kick in which the ball is dropped from the hands and struck before it touches the ground.

- The goalkeeper decided to punt the ball deep into the opponent's half.
- Under heavy pressure from the defensive line, the kicker was forced to punt the ball away to avoid a turnover.

### 2. to delay or avoid

verb · CEFR B2 · American English · Informal

to avoid answering a question or dealing with a problem right now.

For teachers: to delay a decision or avoid addressing an issue directly, often by passing the responsibility to someone else.

- When asked about the budget cuts, the manager decided to punt until next month.
- Rather than addressing the controversial policy change, the committee chose to punt the issue to the next legislative session.

### 3. to gamble or take a chance

verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

to take a chance on something or place a bet.

For teachers: to gamble or place a bet; figuratively, to take a speculative risk on an uncertain outcome.

- I decided to punt on that new tech stock, even though it was risky.
- The venture capitalist was willing to punt on the early-stage startup, despite the lack of a proven revenue model.

### 4. to move a boat

verb · CEFR C1 · British English

to move a long, flat boat through shallow water using a pole.

For teachers: to propel a flat-bottomed boat by pushing a pole against the bed of a river or lake.

- We spent the sunny afternoon punting along the river in Cambridge.
- It takes considerable skill to punt in a straight line when the river current is particularly strong.

### 5. a flat boat

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a long, narrow boat with a flat bottom and square ends.

For teachers: a long, narrow, flat-bottomed boat with square ends, traditionally used for recreation on shallow rivers.

- They hired a punt for two hours to see the university buildings from the water.
- The river was crowded with punts, each filled with tourists enjoying the traditional sights of the city.

### 6. a bet or risk

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

a bet or a risky attempt at something.

For teachers: a bet or wager; by extension, a speculative attempt or a 'long shot'.

- It was a bit of a punt, but the new restaurant turned out to be excellent.
- Taking a punt on an unknown author proved to be a brilliant move for the small publishing house.

### 7. Irish currency

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

the name for the Irish pound before Ireland started using the euro.

For teachers: the basic unit of currency in the Republic of Ireland until the adoption of the euro in 2002.

- My grandfather still has some old punt notes in a drawer at home.
- The transition from the Irish punt to the euro was a significant milestone in the nation's economic history.

### 8. bottle indentation

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the curved indentation at the bottom of a wine bottle.

For teachers: the dimple or indentation at the base of a wine bottle, intended to provide structural strength and collect sediment.

- He held the wine bottle by the punt while pouring for the guests.
- Sommeliers often place their thumb in the punt of the bottle to maintain a steady grip during formal service.

## Examples

- We spent the afternoon on a punt on the river.
- Tourists often hire a punt in Cambridge to see the historic university buildings from the water.
- The traditional design of the punt makes it exceptionally stable in shallow, slow-moving waters, though it requires significant skill to steer with a heavy wooden pole.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.