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   pounce

   /paʊns/

   verb

   • 1. (of an animal or bird of prey) spring or swoop suddenly so as to catch prey: "as he watched, a mink pounced on the vole"
   • ▪ (of a person) spring forward suddenly so as to attack or seize someone or something: "the gang pounced on him and knocked him to the ground"
   • ▪ notice and take swift advantage of a mistake or sign of weakness: "the paper pounced on her admission that she is still a member of CND"

   noun

   • 1. a sudden swoop or spring.
   • 2. a bird's claw. archaic

   Word Origin late Middle English (as a noun denoting a tool for stamping or punching): origin obscure, perhaps from puncheon1. The noun sense ‘a bird's claw’ arose in the late 15th century and gave rise to the verb (late 17th century).

   Derivatives

   • 1. pouncer noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • P

     3

   • O

     1

   • U

     1

   • N

     1

   • C

     3

   • E

     1

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