What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Attack vs Punch - What's the difference?

attack | punch |

As a noun attack

is an attempt to cause damage or injury to, or to somehow detract from the worth or credibility of, a person, position, idea, object, or thing, by physical, verbal, emotional, or other assault.

As a verb attack

is to apply violent force to someone or something.

As a proper noun punch is

(british) a glove puppet who is the main character used in a punch and judy show.

attack

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An attempt to cause damage or injury to, or to somehow detract from the worth or credibility of, a person, position, idea, object, or thing, by physical, verbal, emotional, or other assault.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1913, author=
  • , title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad , chapter=4 citation , passage=“I came down like a wolf on the fold, didn’t I??? Why didn’t I telephone??? Strategy, my dear boy, strategy. This is a surprise attack , and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape. …”}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author= Mark Tran
  • , volume=189, issue=6, page=1, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Denied an education by war , passage=One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks' on schools
  • A time in which one attacks. The offence of a battle.
  • (cricket) Collectively, the bowlers of a cricket side.
  • (volleyball) Any contact with the ball other than a serve or block which sends the ball across the plane of the net.
  • (lacrosse) The three attackmen on the field or all the attackmen of a team.
  • The sudden onset of a disease.
  • An active episode of a chronic or recurrent disease.
  • (music) The onset of a musical note, particularly with respect to the strength (and duration) of that onset.
  • (audio) The amount of time it takes for the volume of an audio signal to go from zero to maximum level (e.g. an audio waveform representing a snare drum hit would feature a very fast attack, whereas that of a wave washing to shore would feature a slow attack).
  • Synonyms

    * (volleyball) hit, spike * See also

    Antonyms

    * (music) decay, release

    Derived terms

    * attack is the best form of defence * pincer attack

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To apply violent force to someone or something.
  • This species of snake will only attack humans if it feels threatened.
  • To aggressively challenge a person, idea, etc., with words (particularly in newspaper headlines, because it typesets into less space than "criticize" or similar ).
  • She published an article attacking the recent pay cuts.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012
  • , date=June 3 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Mr. Plow” (season 4, episode 9; originally aired 11/19/1992) citation , page= , passage=In its God-like prime, The Simpsons attacked well-worn satirical fodder from unexpected angles, finding fresh laughs in the hoariest of subjects.}}
  • To begin to affect; to act upon injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.
  • * Macaulay
  • On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever.
  • * B. Stewart
  • Hydrofluoric acid attacks the glass.
  • To deal with something in a direct way; to set to work upon.
  • We´ll have dinner before we attack the biology homework.
    I attacked the meal with a hearty appetite.
  • (cricket) To aim balls at the batsman’s wicket.
  • (cricket) To set a field, or bowl in a manner designed to get wickets.
  • (cricket) To bat aggressively, so as to score runs quickly.
  • (soccer) To move forward in an attempt to actively score point, as opposed to trying not to concede.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011
  • , date=October 15 , author=Michael Da Silva , title=Wigan 1 - 3 Bolton , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Six successive defeats had left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table but, clearly under instructions to attack from the outset, Bolton started far the brighter.}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    punch

    English

    (wikipedia punch)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) punchen, partially from (etyl) .

    Noun

  • (countable) A hit or strike with one's fist.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=November 3 , author=Chris Bevan , title=Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Another Karadeniz cross led to Cudicini's first save of the night, with the Spurs keeper making up for a weak punch by brilliantly pushing away Christian Noboa's snap-shot.}}
  • (uncountable) Power, strength, energy.
  • (uncountable) Impact.
  • (countable) A button (of a joypad, joystick or similar device) whose only or main current function is that when it is pressed causes a video game character to punch.
  • Synonyms
    * (A strike with the fist) box, bunch of fives (UK) * oomph, pep
    Hyponyms
    * (A strike with the fist) jab, hook, uppercut, pounding
    Derived terms
    * beat somebody to the punch * kidney punch * one-two punch * pleased as punch * pull punches * punch drunk * roll with the punches * Sunday punch
    See also
    * (A strike with the fist) slap

    Verb

    (es)
  • To strike with one's fist.
  • If she punches me, I'm gonna break her nose.
  • (of cattle) To .
  • To operate (a device or system) by depressing a button, key, bar, or pedal, or by similar means.
  • *
  • * '>citation
  • *
  • To enter (information) on a device or system.
  • To hit (a ball or similar object) with less than full force.
  • He punched a hit into shallow left field.
  • To make holes in something
  • To thrust against; to poke.
  • to punch one with the end of a stick or the elbow
    Synonyms
    * (To strike with the fist) box
    Derived terms
    * punch above one's weight * punch below one's weight

    Etymology 2

    Shortened form of puncheon, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (es)
  • (countable) A device, generally slender and round, used for creating holes in thin material, for driving an object through a hole in a containing object, or to stamp or emboss a mark or design on a surface.
  • (countable) A mechanism for punching holes in paper or other thin material.
  • (countable) A hole or opening created with a punch
  • (piledriving) An extension piece applied to the top of a pile; a dolly.
  • A prop, as for the roof of a mine.
  • See also
    * centrepunch, centre punch * nail punch * three-hole punch

    Verb

  • To employ a punch to create a hole in or stamp or emboss a mark on something.
  • To mark a ticket.
  • Hypernyms
    * (to create a hole) perforate, pierce
    Derived terms
    * punch in * punch out

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

  • (uncountable) A beverage, generally containing a mixture of fruit juice and some other beverage, often alcoholic.
  • See also

    * punch drunk ----