Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense punctures, present participle puncturing, past tense, past participle punctured
1. countable noun
A puncture is a small hole in a car tyre or bicycle tyre that has been made by a sharp object.
Somebody helped me mend the puncture.
...a tyre that has a slow puncture.
Synonyms: flat tyre, flat, flattie [New Zealand] More Synonyms of puncture
2. countable noun
A puncture is a small hole in someone's skin that has been made by or with a sharp object.
An instrument called a trocar makes a puncture in the abdominal wall. [+ in]
...people with puncture wounds.
Synonyms: hole, opening, break, cut More Synonyms of puncture
3. verb
If a sharp object punctures something, it makes a hole in it.
The bullet punctured the skull. [VERB noun]
4. verb
If a car tyre or bicycle tyre punctures or if something punctures it, a hole is made in the tyre.
The tyre is guaranteed never to puncture or go flat. [VERB]
He punctured a tyre in the last lap. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: deflate, go down, go flat More Synonyms of puncture
5. verb
If someone's feelings or beliefs are punctured, their feelings or beliefs are made to seem wrong or foolish, especially when this makes the person feel disappointed or upset.
His enthusiasm for fishing had been punctured by the sight of what he might catch. [beVERB-ed]
[Also VERB noun]
More Synonyms of puncture
puncture in British English
(ˈpʌŋktʃə)
noun
1.
a small hole made by a sharp object
2.
a perforation and loss of pressure in a pneumatic tyre, made by sharp stones, glass, etc
3.
the act of puncturing or perforating
verb
4. (transitive)
to pierce (a hole) in (something) with a sharp object
5.
to cause (something pressurized, esp a tyre) to lose pressure by piercing, or (of a tyre, etc) to be pierced and collapse in this way
6. (transitive)
to depreciate (a person's self-esteem, pomposity, etc)
Derived forms
puncturable (ˈpuncturable)
adjective
puncturer (ˈpuncturer)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Latin punctūra, from pungere to prick
puncture in American English
(ˈpʌŋktʃər)
noun
1.
the act or an instance of perforating or piercing
2.
a hole made by a sharp point, as in an automobile tire, the skin, etc.
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈpunctured or ˈpuncturing
3.
to perforate or pierce with a sharp point
4.
to reduce or put an end to, as if by a puncture
to puncture one's pride
verb intransitive
5.
to be punctured
Derived forms
puncturable (ˈpuncturable)
adjective
Word origin
ME < L punctura, a pricking < L pungere, to pierce: see point
Examples of 'puncture' in a sentence
puncture
More telling was that the past days have punctured holes in the idea of them having a strong and organised rearguard.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
About a third of them will have been punctured and suffer from lead poisoning by the time they arrive on our shores.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We went home with a puncture repair kit and six signed copies of my own book.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They may think differently unless the slow puncture is sealed.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The third is thought to have suffered a puncture.
The Sun (2015)
Forced to retire with differential and exhaust problems which also cause a puncture.
The Sun (2012)
Take along a puncture repair kit and know how to use it.
The Sun (2010)
He suffered four puncture wounds to the head.
The Sun (2013)
She underwent emergency surgery and is said to be in a stable condition after suffering a punctured lung.
The Sun (2012)
Always carry a puncture repair kit.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The teenage survivor suffered puncture wounds.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They always get punctured, possibly by the cactus prop.
The Sun (2011)
At that, he squeezed my hand so tightly his fingernails punctured my skin.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
How glorious to puncture the pomposity of the self-important.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If you get a puncture, bring it back.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But a puncture let him get past at the 11th hour.
The Sun (2009)
We find them faintly ridiculous, laughable rather than laudable and have a strong desire to puncture their pomposity.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They react to skin puncture.
Ridgway, Roy Caring for your Unborn Child (1990)
When you puncture the skin with the tip of a sharp knife, it should shrink away and will peel off easily.
The Sun (2012)
We kept an inflatable paddling pool for her in the yard, but it had a slow puncture and needed constant pumping up.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He said he twice swerved towards the pavement because he had a slow puncture, not because he was trying to flatten me.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It makes sense to always carry a spare inner tube with you for emergencies, and repair the punctured one at your leisure.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
WOULD you continue to drive your car knowing that you had a slow puncture or a flickering warning light on the dashboard?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
I've got a plastic box from a puncture repair kit to put my cigarettes in.
The Sun (2014)
Just one in five have taught them how to erect a tent, and one in ten how to fish or repair a bicycle puncture.
The Sun (2016)
As well as going faster, you'll be less likely to get a puncture.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Slow puncture at Peckham.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
puncture
British English: puncture /ˈpʌŋktʃə/ NOUN
A puncture is a small hole in a car or bicycle tyre that has been made by a sharp object.
Somebody helped me to fix the puncture.
American English: puncture
Arabic: ثَقْب
Brazilian Portuguese: furo orifício
Chinese: 刺孔
Croatian: probušena guma
Czech: píchnutí pneumatiky
Danish: punktering
Dutch: gaatje
European Spanish: pinchazo neumático
Finnish: reikä renkaassa
French: crevaison
German: Einstich
Greek: διάτρηση
Italian: foratura
Japanese: 刺し穴
Korean: (찔려서 난) 구멍
Norwegian: punktering
Polish: przebicie
European Portuguese: furo
Romanian: străpungere
Russian: прокол
Latin American Spanish: pinchazo perforfación
Swedish: punktering
Thai: การเจาะ
Turkish: patlak
Ukrainian: прокол
Vietnamese: lỗ thủng
British English: puncture VERB
If a sharp object punctures something, it makes a hole in it.
The bullet punctured the skull.
American English: puncture
Brazilian Portuguese: furar
Chinese: 穿破
European Spanish: perforar
French: crever
German: durchbohren
Italian: forare
Japanese: 穴を開ける
Korean: 구멍을 내다
European Portuguese: furar
Latin American Spanish: perforar
All related terms of 'puncture'
puncture vine
a tropical or subtropical prostrate vine , Tribulus terrestris , with yellow flowers and a hard, spiny fruit which breaks into five sections at maturity
slow puncture
a small hole in a tyre , from which the air escapes very slowly, so that at first it is not obvious that there is any problem with the tyre
lumbar puncture
insertion of a hollow needle into the lower region of the spinal cord to withdraw cerebrospinal fluid , introduce drugs, etc
puncture wound
a wound that has been caused by a sharp object that penetrates the skin
puncture repair kit
a pack , usually kept in the vehicle that has everything required to mend a puncture
Chinese translation of 'puncture'
puncture
(ˈpʌŋktʃəʳ)
n(c)
刺孔 (cìkǒng) (个(個), gè)
vt
[tyre, lung]戳破 (chuōpò)
to have a puncture轮(輪)胎被扎破了 (lúntāi bèi zhāpò le)
1 (noun)
Definition
a tear and loss of pressure in a tyre
Someone helped me to mend the puncture.
Synonyms
flat tyre
flat
flattie (New Zealand)
2 (noun)
Definition
a small hole made by a sharp object
an instrument used to make a puncture in the abdominal wall
Synonyms
hole
They got in through a hole in the wall.
kids with holes in the knees of their jeans
opening
He squeezed through an opening in the fence.
break
a break in the earth's surface
cut
The operation involves making several cuts in the cornea.
nick
The barbed wire had left only the tiniest nick below my right eye.
leak
a leak in the radiator
slit
She watched them through a slit in the curtain.
rupture
a major rupture between the two countries
perforation
1 (verb)
Definition
to pierce a hole in (something) with a sharp object
The bullet punctured his stomach.
Synonyms
pierce
Pierce the skin of the potato with a fork.
cut
Thieves cut a hole in the fence.
Cut the branches back with a saw.
nick
A sharp blade is likely to nick the skin and draw blood.
penetrate
The needle penetrated the skin.
prick
She pricked her finger with a needle.
rupture
Tanks can rupture and burn in a collision.
perforate
The table was perforated by a series of small holes.
impale
I had to go to hospital after impaling my foot on a railing spike.
bore a hole (in)
2 (verb)
Definition
to cause (a tyre etc.) to lose pressure by piercing
The tyre is guaranteed never to puncture.
Synonyms
deflate
The vandals had deflated his car's tyres.
go down
go flat
3 (verb)
a witty column which punctures celebrity egos
Synonyms
humble
the little car company that humbled the industry giants
discourage
disillusion
flatten
deflate
Her comments deflated him a bit.
take down a peg (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of break
Definition
the act or result of breaking
a break in the earth's surface
Synonyms
fracture,
opening,
tear,
hole,
split,
crack,
gap,
rent,
breach,
rift,
rupture,
gash,
cleft,
fissure
in the sense of cut
Definition
a stroke or incision made by cutting
The operation involves making several cuts in the cornea.
Synonyms
incision,
nick,
rent,
stroke,
rip,
slash,
groove,
slit,
snip
in the sense of cut
Definition
(of a sharp instrument) to penetrate or open up (a person or thing)
Thieves cut a hole in the fence.Cut the branches back with a saw.
Synonyms
slit,
saw,
score,
nick,
slice,
slash,
pierce,
hack,
penetrate,
notch
Synonyms of 'puncture'
puncture
Explore 'puncture' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of impale
Definition
to pierce through or fix with a sharp object
I had to go to hospital after impaling my foot on a railing spike.
Synonyms
pierce,
stick,
run through,
spike,
lance,
spear,
skewer,
spit,
transfix
in the sense of leak
Definition
a crack or hole that allows the accidental escape or entrance of liquid, gas, radiation, etc.
a leak in the radiator
Synonyms
hole,
opening,
crack,
puncture,
aperture,
chink,
crevice,
fissure,
perforation
in the sense of nick
Definition
a small notch or cut
The barbed wire had left only the tiniest nick below my right eye.
Synonyms
cut,
mark,
scratch,
score,
chip,
scar,
notch,
dent,
snick
in the sense of nick
Definition
to make a small cut in
A sharp blade is likely to nick the skin and draw blood.
Synonyms
cut,
mark,
score,
damage,
chip,
scratch,
scar,
notch,
dent,
snick
in the sense of opening
Definition
a hole or gap
He squeezed through an opening in the fence.
Synonyms
hole,
break,
space,
tear,
split,
crack,
gap,
rent,
breach,
slot,
outlet,
vent,
puncture,
rupture,
aperture,
cleft,
chink,
fissure,
orifice,
perforation,
interstice
in the sense of penetrate
Definition
to find or force a way into or through
The needle penetrated the skin.
Synonyms
pierce,
enter,
go through,
bore,
probe,
stab,
prick,
perforate,
impale
in the sense of perforate
Definition
to make a hole or holes in
The table was perforated by a series of small holes.