Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. The climactic phrase or statement of a joke, producing a sudden humorous effect.
Wiktionary
- n. 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.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The final sentence, phrase, or word in a joke or humorous story that is unexpected and produces the humorous effect; the point of a joke.
- n. The final sentence, phrase, or word in any narration, speech, or advertisement that produces the speaker's intended effect.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the point of a joke or humorous story
Etymologies
- punch + line, probably American. It was probably meant to be likened to a quick, sharp punch. (Wiktionary)
Examples
“He laughed until the punch line sucker-punched him — then he froze.”
“Give a big hello and introduction, and in ten words or less catch them up: “We were just talking about this veterinary psychologist I met…” If you were just at the punch line and don’t want to stop, put your arm around the guest or take hold of her in some way while you finish so she doesn’t have that awkward I-got-here-at-the-wrong-time feeling.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘punch line’.
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Punchy
punch, fruit punch, Punch and Judy, pleased as punch, punch-drunk, Punch-Drunk Love, punchy, punch drunk, punch in, punch out, cattle puncher, leather punch and 52 more...
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Inside a cartoonist’s world - Liza Do...
foreman, grocery store, bagger, punch line, relate, relevant, relevance
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Collocative Phrases
crack of dawn, catchment area, abortive efforts, consolidated text, unsung hero, stressful surreal..., opening gambit, contingency plan, penal colony, baby bump, gut reaction, living memory and 176 more...
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INTERP - VOCABULARY
The vocabulary of conference interpreting. I commend this list to those who want to know more about the profession and to those who wish to organize their knowledge about the profession. To aspirin...
retour language, A-language, B-language, C-language, relay language, take sy on relay, language booth, booth meeting, mic, mike, mission, freelance interpr... and 2086 more...
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lines
line-know-of-them
guy line, chorus line, party line, front line, foul line, life line, love line, bottom line, red line, credit line, by line, dotted line and 106 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for punch line.
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