punchballn.
/ˈpʌn(t)ʃbɔːl/, U.S. /ˈpəntʃˌbɔl/, /ˈpəntʃˌbɑl/ 1.
a. A stuffed or inflated ball suspended or mounted on a stand at a suitable height for punching as boxing practice or exercise.
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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > boxing > [noun] > punchbag
bag1858
punchbag1885
punchball1888
heavy bag1950
speedball1955
1888 Morning Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) 26 Feb. 2/5 In a few days he will begin work at the punch ball, dumb bells and Indian clubs, at the same time continuing to walk at least eighteen miles daily.
1927 Daily Express 22 June 17/5 He is developing his punch in secret, and..he has broken three punch-balls.
1973 M. Amis Rachel Papers 13 Her buttocks, when she wore stretch-slacks, would dance behind her knees like punch-balls.
2003 Irish Times (Nexis) 13 Jan. 52 He broke his hand hitting a punchball in a ‘test your strength game’.
b. A target for aggression, hostility, or abuse; = punchbag n. 2.
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1920 Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 16 Nov. 6/3 Apparently he is to be made the punch ball for every Tom, Dick, or Harry who cares to attack him.
1928 Economica 23 142 Do we really want our banking system to be a mere passive punch-ball for the pugilists of industry and trade?
1963 Times 13 Mar. 12/5 The Home Office has always been something of a punchball for Mr. Sidney Silverman.
1977 Time 3 Oct. 50/2 Among the principals: the incomparable Lizzie, a daydreamy beautiful loser, ‘punchball’ for many lovers, whose flaws prove even more compelling than her easy virtue.
1995 Financial Post 28 Jan. 78 Turkey is in danger of filling the position vacated by South Africa as punchball of the European left.
2. U.S. regional (chiefly New York City). A children's ball game resembling baseball, in which an inflated rubber ball is hit with the fist.
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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > handball, etc. > [noun] > other handball games
cache1444
hand in and hand out1478
cachepell1539
hand-out1540
knappan1573
wind-ball1578
balloon?1591
bord-and-cord1591
hurlingc1600
pize-balla1796
trigon1842
pallone1859
push-ball1895
throwball1895
punchball1908
wallyball1982
1908 N.Y. Times 16 Aug. 3/5 The boys, who let the girls do most of the singing, had their inning next, giving an exhibition of black and white, dodge ball, club pursuit race, punch ball, tag ball, and other similar games.
1935 C. F. Ware Greenwich Village 1920–30 v. 144 The district abounded in block teams..who played the ubiquitous game of punchball.
1991 S. J. Gould Bully for Brontosaurus vi. 96 I survived because I wasn't hopeless at punchball, and I won some respect for my knowledge of baseball stats.
2005 N.Y. Times 7 July b1/1 For New York traditionalists, there could be events like stickball, punchball, skully and ring-a-levio.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1888