punching

English

Etymology

From punch +‎ -ing.

Pronunciation

Noun

punching (countable and uncountable, plural punchings)

  1. gerund of punch
    1. An incident in which someone is punched.
      • 2009 January 25, Evonne Barry, “Booze and the trail of violence”, in Herald Sun[1], archived from the original on 12 February 2009:
        Over the past four years, the rate of "interpersonal" attacks and "penetrating injuries" – such as stabbings, glassings, punchings, beatings – has doubled, he said.
    2. The process of making holes in something (for example, a leather belt or a rail ticket).

Verb

punching

  1. present participle and gerund of punch
  2. (informal, UK) Clipping of punching above one's weight; in a relationship with a more attractive partner.
    • 2017 September 27, Lucia Binding, “'Dele's punching' - Alli's model girlfriend Ruby Mae sends fans wild on Instagram”, in International Business Times[2]:
      One even took the mickey out of her footballer boyfriend, commenting underneath the shot: "@dele I love ya bro, keep doing bits for Spurs... but you are punching mate ".
    • 2019 July 3, Sarah Finley, “Father and daughter are left red-faced when a friend mistakes them for a COUPLE in a Facebook snap - and tells the dad he's 'punching above his weight'”, in Daily Mail[3]:
      Micheal Cerutti left a message under the photo on Facebook which said 'you're punching mate'.
    • 2021 October 7, Nancy Brown, “MAFSA viewers furious over Bryce’s treatment of wife Melissa”, in Entertainment Daily[4]:
      A fifth tweeted: “#MAFSAUS you slept with her on the first night Bryce. How to destroy someone in one cruel line. (For the record, you are punching there chum).”

Derived terms