pounce
/paʊns/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.97 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A type of fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, sprinkled over wet ink to dry the ink after writing or on rough paper to smooth the writing surface.
Uncountable
noun
Charcoal dust, or some other coloured powder for making patterns through perforated designs, used by embroiderers, lacemakers, etc.
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "At the Thorn, or at a meagre kitchen table, or even on the carpenter’s workbench, he spreads open the portfolio, lights a candle stub, slices a fresh quill, and arranges pounce pot and ink well."
- "to pounce paper, or a pattern"
- "Again the cat jolted the bed with a pounce."
- "March 22 1775, Edmund Burke, speech in the House of Commons on conciliation with America You have , indeed , winged ministers of vengeance, who carry your bolts in their pounces to the remotest verge of the sea"
- "And from her griping pounce the greedy prey doth quarry"
- "a pounce to print money with"
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: French