puncheon

Meaning

1. A figured stamp, die, or punch, used by goldsmiths, cutlers, etc.
2. A short, upright piece of timber in framing; a short post; an intermediate stud.
3. A piece of roughly dressed timber with one face finished flat (by either hewing or sawing).
4. A split log or heavy slab of timber with the face smoothed, used especially for flooring but also for log cabin walls, piers, or plank roads.
5. A walkway or short, low footbridge over wet ground constructed with such timbers, made by laying one or more planks or dressed timbers over sills set directly on the ground; also called duck boards, bog boards, or bog bridge.
6. A short low bridge of similar construction. Also called puncheon bridge.
7. A cask of a certain size; its volume used as a measure of capacity varying from 72 to 120 gallons.

Synonyms

punch

👊

bodkin

column

dagger

🗡️

jamb

pillar

plank

post

scape

sprag

stamp

stanchion

strut

baluster

stub

Translations

punzón

zımba

👊

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpʌntʃən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: punchoun

Cognate with Middle High German: punze

Cognate with German: Punze

In summary

From Middle English punchoun, from Anglo-Norman ponchon, pounceon et al., and Middle French ponçon, poinchon et al., from Old French ponchon, from Latin pūnctiōnem (“act of piercing”). Doublet of punction. Related to Middle High German punze (“chisel; burin, graver”), ponze (“puncheon, standardized cask”), German Punze (“puncheon, punch, counter”).