English Explanatory Dictionary

punch line

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The final part of a joke; the word, sentence, or exchange of sentences that is intended to be funny and provokes laughter from the listeners.
  2. The butt of a joke; laughing stock.
  3. A final, concluding statement that an explanation has been leading up to; a conclusion.

Pronunciation

/ˈpʌntʃˌlaɪn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-punch line.wav

Word forms

punch line punch lines punchline punch-line

Etymology

1910s, probably American. It was probably meant to be likened to a quick, sharp punch.

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on P Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary