pun
verbnounnounnounattested in dialogue
- United States//pʌn//
- Ireland//pʊn//
To make or tell a pun; to make a play on words.
verb
- 1
obsoleteTo beat; strike with force; to ram; to pound, as in a mortar; reduce to powder, to pulverize.
He would pun thee into shivers with his fist.
- 2
To make or tell a pun; to make a play on words.
We punned about the topic until all around us groaned.
Etymology
From Middle English ponnen, ponen, punen, from Old English punian, pūnian (“to pound, beat, bray, bruise, crush, grind”), from Proto-Germanic *punōną (“to break to pieces, pulverize”). See pound. As a kind of word play, from the notion of “beating” the words into place.
noun
- 1
A joke or type of wordplay in which similar definitions or sounds of two words or phrases, or different definitions of the same word, are deliberately confused.
The pun is the lowest form of wit.
"Certainly, my home at my uncle's brought me acquainted with a circle of admirals. Of Rears, and Vices, I saw enough. Now do not be suspecting me of a pun, I entreat."
noun
- 1
Variant of bunAlternative form of bun (“Korean unit of measure”).
Etymology
From the McCune-Reischauer romanization of Korean 분 (bun), from Chinese 分 (“fen”).
noun
- 1
historicalA certain number of cowries, generally 80.
Hackeries and carriages, loaded and empty, 8 annas. Sheep, goats, &c., 1 pun of cowries each.
Etymology
From Hindi [Term?].
Forms
- plural
- puns
- past tense
- punned
- past participle
- punned
- present participle
- punning
- third person singular
- puns
pun · To make or tell a pun; to make a play on words.
Pun · A surname.punch · A hit or strike with one's fist.Punch · A glove puppet who is the main character used in a Punch and…