punt
punt — noun
- puntsingular
- puntsplural
1. a shallow-water vessel shaped like a long, narrow box with a flat floor and blun
a shallow-water vessel shaped like a long, narrow box with a flat floor and blunt ends, driven forwards by someone standing at the rear and pressing a pole into the riverbed.
Hari carefully stepped into the punt and sat down on one of the cushioned seats.
collocation: step into / sit in a punt
The guide pushed the punt along the slow-moving river with a long wooden pole.
Because a punt has a flat bottom, it can travel in water that is only half a metre deep.
Sofia and her friends rented a punt for a sunny afternoon trip across the lake.
The narrow punt moved silently through the reeds as Otis pushed the pole into the mud.
常見錯誤
2. a technique for kicking a ball a long way in rugby and American football, where
a technique for kicking a ball a long way in rugby and American football, where you release the ball and strike it with your foot while it is falling through the air.
The rugby player sent a long punt down the field that travelled almost fifty metres.
long punt + field + distance
Nadia practiced her punt every day until she could land the ball inside the twenty-yard line.
practice + punt + land inside [area]
A well-timed punt can give your team a big advantage by pushing the other team deep into their own half.
Otis watched the kicker's punt soar high above the heads of the players before bouncing into the end zone.
用法筆記
In American football, a punt usually happens on fourth down when a team chooses to give the ball to the other team rather than risk losing it closer to their own goal. In rugby, a punt is a general kicking tactic used to gain territory.
常見錯誤
3. an attempt to make money by choosing a high-risk option whose outcome is uncerta
an attempt to make money by choosing a high-risk option whose outcome is uncertain and could result in losing the money you put in.
Buying shares in that tiny start-up was a real punt, but it paid off when the company was bought.
take a punt on + start-up / investment
Liang took a punt on the small tech company and doubled his money within two years.
For investors who enjoy a punt, the cryptocurrency market offers high risk and the chance of huge rewards.
The fund manager described the investment as a punt, warning that the money could easily be lost.
- gamble
more general, can apply to any risky choice, not just financial
- speculation
more formal, often used in finance for calculated risk-taking
- flyer
American English informal term for a risky investment
- sure thing
an investment or bet that is almost certain to succeed
文法句型
take a punt on something
用法筆記
Usually used in the fixed phrase 'take a punt (on something)'. Most common in British and Australian English. In American English, 'take a flyer' or 'gamble' are more typical alternatives.
常見錯誤
4. the currency that Ireland used before joining the eurozone in 2002.
the currency that Ireland used before joining the eurozone in 2002.
Before the euro arrived, workers in Ireland received their wages in punts.
pre-euro Ireland + wages in punts
Kemi found a few old punt coins in a drawer at her grandmother's Dublin house.
When Ireland adopted the euro, punt banknotes could be exchanged at the central bank for several years.
The old pub menu still showed prices in punts, even though the currency had changed years before.
- Irish pound
the full English name for the same currency; 'punt' is the shorter, Irish-language-derived name
用法筆記
The punt was equal to one hundred pence. The symbol for the punt was £, the same as the British pound, but it was a separate currency with a different value. This sense is now mainly historical or used when discussing Ireland's pre-euro economy.
常見錯誤
5. an ancient territory in northeastern Africa whose exact location is unknown but
an ancient territory in northeastern Africa whose exact location is unknown but is thought to have been in the area of present-day Somaliland or the Horn of Africa.
Ancient Egyptian records describe trade missions to the land of Punt for gold, incense, and myrrh.
trade missions to Punt for [goods]
Historians believe that Punt was located somewhere along the coast of what is now the Horn of Africa.
The pharaoh Hatshepsut sent a famous expedition to Punt around 1500 BCE, which was recorded on temple walls.
用法筆記
This is a historical proper noun, not a common noun. It refers only to the ancient African region. Modern place names like 'Somalia' and 'Somaliland' are unrelated to this ancient name, and the two should not be confused despite the phonetic similarity.
punt — verb
- puntpresent simple I / you / we / they
- punts3rd person singular
- punting-ing form
- puntedpast simple
1. to strike a dropped ball with your foot while it is still in the air, propelling
to strike a dropped ball with your foot while it is still in the air, propelling it a great distance during a rugby match or an American football game.
The quarterback punted the ball high into the air, giving the other team possession deep in their own half.
transitive: punt + ball + [direction/location]
Nadia watched the rugby player punt the ball straight down the middle of the pitch, well past the defensive line.
In American football, teams often punt on fourth down when they are too far from the goal to score.
Charlotte learned how to punt during her first rugby training session by practising the drop-and-kick motion.
文法句型
punt + ball
punt (no object)
用法筆記
Frequently used without an object in American football contexts ('they decided to punt'). In rugby, the transitive use ('he punted the ball') is more common. The noun form 'punt' is also used for the kick itself.
常見錯誤
2. to decide not to deal with something now, often by passing the responsibility to
to decide not to deal with something now, often by passing the responsibility to someone else or postponing it until a later time.
The committee decided to punt the difficult decision to the next meeting rather than discuss it now.
punt + decision + to [later time]
Hamza punted the question about the budget until the final financial report was ready.
When the journalist asked an awkward question, the spokesperson punted and promised to reply in writing later.
Rather than resolve the staff complaint immediately, the manager punted it to the human resources team.
- address
to deal with a problem or decision directly instead of postponing
文法句型
punt + something
punt + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense comes from the idea of punting the ball away in American football — giving the problem to someone else instead of handling it yourself. It is informal and most common in North American workplace and political contexts. In British English, 'shelve' or 'kick into the long grass' are more typical.
常見錯誤
3. to move across shallow water on a flat-bottomed boat while pushing a long pole a
to move across shallow water on a flat-bottomed boat while pushing a long pole against the riverbed to propel the boat forward.
On sunny weekends, tourists love to punt along the River Cam in Cambridge, passing under the old stone bridges.
punt along [river]: typical British leisure activity
Marta watched an experienced boatman who punted across the lake using a long wooden pole.
The family spent the afternoon punting down the quiet river, enjoying the warm summer breeze and the bird songs.
Eve offered to punt while her friends sat back and took photographs of the countryside.
- pole
can be used as a verb with a similar meaning, e.g. 'they poled the boat along the river'
文法句型
punt along/down/up [river]
go punting
用法筆記
Most commonly encountered in the gerund form 'punting', especially as a tourist or leisure activity in British university cities such as Cambridge and Oxford. The related noun form 'punt' (sense 1 of the noun) refers to the boat itself.
常見錯誤
4. to risk money by placing a bet on the result of a race, game, or other event, ho
to risk money by placing a bet on the result of a race, game, or other event, hoping to win more money.
Evelyn enjoys punting on horse races, though she never bets more than she can afford to lose.
punt on [event] + caution warning
A group of friends spent the evening punting on card games at the local social club.
Théo punted a small amount on the underdog and was delighted when the horse won the race.
Some people punt on sports matches just for fun, without expecting to make serious money.
文法句型
punt on [something]
用法筆記
This sense is most common in British and Australian English. The person who places the bet is called a 'punter'. In American English, 'bet' or 'gamble' are more common for this meaning. This sense overlaps with the noun sense 3 ('risky investment'), but verb sense 4 specifically refers to actual betting on games or races.