Pounce word meaning and definition

[noun] the act of pouncing
[verb] move down on as if in an attack; "The raptor swooped down on its prey"; "The teacher swooped down upon the new students"

\Pounce\, n. [F. ponce pumice, pounce, fr. L. pumex, -icis, pumice. See {Pumice}.] 1. A fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, -- formerly used to prevent ink from spreading on manuscript. 2. Charcoal dust, or some other colored powder for making patterns through perforated designs, -- used by embroiderers, lace makers, etc. {Pounce box}, a box for sprinkling pounce. {Pounce paper}, a transparent paper for tracing.
\Pounce\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pounded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pouncing}.] To sprinkle or rub with pounce; as, to pounce paper, or a pattern.
\Pounce\, n. [Prob. through French, from an assumed LL. punctiare to prick, L. pungere, punctum. See {Puncheon}, {Punch}, v. t.] 1. The claw or talon of a bird of prey. --Spenser. Burke. 2. A punch or stamp. [Obs.] ``A pounce to print money with.'' --Withals. 3. Cloth worked in eyelet holes. [Obs.] --Homilies.
\Pounce\, v. t. 1. To strike or seize with the talons; to pierce, as with the talons. [Archaic] Stooped from his highest pitch to pounce a wren. --Cowper. Now pounce him lightly, And as he roars and rages, let's go deeper. --J. Fletcher. 2. To punch; to perforate; to stamp holes in, or dots on, by way of ornament. [Obs.] --Sir T. Elyot.
\Pounce\, v. i. To fall suddenly and seize with the claws; -- with on or upon; as, a hawk pounces upon a chicken. Also used figuratively. Derision is never so agonizing as when it pounces on the wanderings of misguided sensibility. --Jeffrey.

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