haymaker
/ˈheɪmeɪkɚ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.99 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A particularly powerful punch, especially one which knocks down an opponent, thrown like a scythe chop for cutting hay, as agricultural haymakers used to have strong arms.
Informal
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "A long rank of haymakers—men and women—proceeded with their rakes, the white shirt-sleeves, straw bonnets, and ruddy faces, radiant in the bath of sunshine."
- "The saga of Newt Gingrich's ethics suddenly resembles a brawl between blindfolded boxers who flail away so wildly that each lands a haymaker on his own jaw."
- "The interview consisted of [Demis] Hassabis challenging [Joe] McDonagh to a series of games; he beat the candidate in a race to fold an origami bird, but decided not to test his left hook or his haymaker."
- "The real potential haymaker for the industry is a proposal, now gaining support in Congress, that would tax the profits private equity reaps on selling companies not at the low cap gains rate, but at the regular income tax rate."
- "Guardiola swung haymakers in all directions; he presented one of the world’s richest clubs as a noble, put-upon underdog; and he established a siege mentality with such coruscating precision that Football Daily instantly bet the farm on City winning the Premier League this season."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: heymakere
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈheɪmeɪkɚ/