Pounce

English Meaning

A fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, -- formerly used to prevent ink from spreading on manuscript.

1. To spring or swoop with intent to seize someone or something: a cat that pounced on a mouse; watched the falcon pounce on the baby rabbit.
2. To attack suddenly: irregular troops who pounced on the convoy at a narrow pass; a colleague who pounced on me because of a mistake in my report.
3. To seize something swiftly and eagerly: pounce on an opportunity.
4. To seize with or as if with talons.
5. The act or an instance of pouncing.
6. The talon or claw of a bird of prey.
7. A fine powder formerly used to smooth and finish writing paper and soak up ink.
8. A fine powder, such as pulverized charcoal, dusted over a stencil to transfer a design to an underlying surface.
9. To sprinkle, smooth, or treat with pounce.
10. To transfer (a stenciled design) with pounce.
11. To ornament (metal, for example) by perforating from the back with a pointed implement.