Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense pounces, present participle pouncing, past tense, past participle pounced
1. verb
If someone pounceson you, they come up towards you suddenly and take hold of you.
He pounced on the photographer, beat him up and smashed his camera. [VERB + on/upon]
Fraud squad officers had bugged the phone and were ready to pounce. [VERB]
2. verb
If someone pounceson something such as a mistake, they quickly draw attention to it, usually in order to gain an advantage for themselves or to prove that they are right.
The Democrats were ready to pounce on any Republican failings or mistakes. [VERB + on/upon]
'That's much too subtle, even for Sam.'—'Even for Sam!' He pounced on the phrasewith a sound of triumph. [Von/upon n]
[Also VERB]
3. verb
When an animal or bird pounceson something, it jumps on it and holds it, in order to kill it.
...like a tiger pouncing on its prey. [VERB + on/upon]
Before I could get the pigeon the cat pounced. [VERB]
Synonyms: attack, strike, jump, leap More Synonyms of pounce
More Synonyms of pounce
pounce in British English1
(paʊns)
verb
1. (intr; often foll by on or upon)
to spring or swoop, as in capturing prey
noun
2.
the act of pouncing; a spring or swoop
3.
the claw of a bird of prey
Derived forms
pouncer (ˈpouncer)
noun
Word origin
C17: apparently from Middle English punson pointed tool; see puncheon2
pounce in British English2
(paʊns)
verb
(transitive)
to emboss (metal) by hammering from the reverse side
Word origin
C15 pounsen, from Old French poinçonner to stamp; perhaps the same as pounce1
pounce in British English3
(paʊns)
noun
1.
a very fine resinous powder, esp of cuttlefish bone, formerly used to dry ink or sprinkled over parchment or unsized writing paper to stop the ink from running
2.
a fine powder, esp of charcoal, that is tapped through perforations in paper corresponding to the main lines of a design in order to transfer the design to another surface
3.
(as modifier)
a pounce box
verb(transitive)
4.
to dust (paper) with pounce
5.
to transfer (a design) by means of pounce
Derived forms
pouncer (ˈpouncer)
noun
Word origin
C18: from Old French ponce, from Latin pūmexpumice
pounce in American English1
(paʊns)
noun
1.
a claw or talon of a bird of prey
2.
the act of pouncing; swoop, spring, or leap
verb intransitiveWord forms: pounced or ˈpouncing
3.
to swoop down, spring, or leap (on, upon, or at a person or thing) in, or as in, attacking or seizing
Derived forms
pouncer (ˈpouncer)
noun
Word origin
ME pownce, talon, prob. altered < MFr poinçon, sharp instrument, stiletto: see puncheon1
pounce in American English2
(paʊns)
noun
1.
a fine powder, as pulverized cuttlefish bone, formerly used to prevent ink from blotting or to prepare the writing surface of parchment
2.
a fine powder sprinkled over a stencil to make a design, as on cloth
verb transitiveWord forms: pounced or ˈpouncing
3.
to sprinkle, rub, finish, or prepare with pounce
4.
to stencil with pounce
Word origin
Fr ponce < L pumex, pumice
Examples of 'pounce' in a sentence
pounce
Always ready to pounce in the box.
The Sun (2012)
Any minor departure from logic was quickly pounced upon.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Investors should get ready to pounce.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
First he pounced on a rebound in the 16th minute.
The Sun (2006)
What he said was ill-judged but people are so gleeful about pouncing when you get it wrong.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Then they pounce, and get it.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He thought that the slow movements might mean that he was preparing to pounce, as cats do.
Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden (1911)
But precisely because of this, there are thousands of eagle eyes ready to pounce on errors of fact or interpretation.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The cat pounced... and missed.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The pond was relatively little used, though here the closeness of cover might have made the birds afraid of being pounced on by cats.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Then to rub salt in the wound, the African side pounced to grab an equaliser with just eight minutes to go.
The Sun (2012)
Stunned zoo visitors watched as the big cat pounced, hooked the bird with a claw through its cage, then held it with his teeth.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
pounce
British English: pounce VERB
If someone pounces on you, they come up towards you suddenly and take hold of you.
He pounced on the photographer and smashed his camera.
American English: pounce
Brazilian Portuguese: agarrar
Chinese: > 猛扑向某人
European Spanish: abalanzarse
French: sauter
German: sich stürzen
Italian: balzare
Japanese: 突然現われる
Korean: 달려들다
European Portuguese: agarrar
Latin American Spanish: abalanzarse
Chinese translation of 'pounce'
pounce
(pauns)
vi
猛扑(撲) (měngpū)
to pounce on sb/sth[animal, person]猛扑(撲)向某人/某物 (měngpū xiàng mǒurén/mǒuwù)
to pounce on (= criticize)[mistake, suggestion, comment]抨击(擊) (pēngjī)
(verb)
Definition
to spring upon suddenly to attack or capture
Before I could get to the pigeon, the cat pounced.
Synonyms
attack
strike
This issue strikes at the very foundation of our community.
jump
Two guys jumped me with clubs in the car park.
leap
People should not leap to conclusions and blame the pilot.
swoop
The terror ended when armed police swooped on the car.
(noun)
Definition
the act of pouncing
Synonyms
spring
attack
a campaign of air attacks on strategic targets
jump
With a few hops and a jump they launched themselves into the air.
bound
With one bound Jack was free.
assault
The rebels are poised for a new assault.
leap
He took the silver medal with a leap of 2.37 metres.
swoop
a swoop on a German lorry
phrasal verb
See pounce on something or someone
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assault
Definition
a violent attack, either physical or verbal
The rebels are poised for a new assault.
Synonyms
attack,
campaign,
strike,
rush,
storm,
storming,
raid,
invasion,
charge,
offensive,
onset,
onslaught,
foray,
incursion,
act of aggression,
inroad
in the sense of bound
Definition
a jump upwards or forwards
With one bound Jack was free.
Synonyms
leap,
bob,
spring,
jump,
bounce,
hurdle,
skip,
vault,
pounce,
caper,
prance,
lope,
frisk,
gambol
in the sense of jump
Definition
to attack without warning
Two guys jumped me with clubs in the car park.
Synonyms
attack,
assault,
assail,
set upon,
charge,
strike (at),
rush,
storm,
fall upon,
lay into (informal)
Synonyms of 'pounce'
pounce
Explore 'pounce' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of jump
Definition
the act or an instance of jumping
With a few hops and a jump they launched themselves into the air.
Synonyms
leap,
spring,
skip,
bound,
buck,
hop,
vault,
caper
in the sense of leap
Definition
to move or react quickly
People should not leap to conclusions and blame the pilot.
Synonyms
rush,
jump,
come,
reach,
arrive at,
hurry,
hasten,
form hastily
in the sense of leap
Definition
the act of jumping
He took the silver medal with a leap of 2.37 metres.
Synonyms
jump,
spring,
bound,
hop,
skip,
vault,
caper,
frisk
in the sense of strike
This issue strikes at the very foundation of our community.
Synonyms
attack,
hit,
affect,
assault,
devastate,
invade,
smite,
assail,
fall upon,
set upon,
deal a blow to
in the sense of swoop
Definition
the act of swooping
The terror ended when armed police swooped on the car.