frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

perforation, perforating, holing, puncturing, piercing,
stabbing, punching: The puncture of the balloon means that we
shall have to postpone our trip.
--v. 3 perforate, hole, pierce, stab, penetrate, go through,
prick, nick, rupture: An arrow punctured the side of the tent.
4 deflate, disillusion, bring up short, discourage, humble,
dash, destroy, ruin: Any hopes I had of winning the marathon
were punctured when I tripped and fell, spraining my ankle.
pungent adj. 1 spicy, hot, sharp, strong, penetrating, aromatic,
seasoned, peppery, piquant, tangy, flavourful, tasty, sapid:
The pungent odours of devilled kidneys dominated the
dining-room. 2 sharp, biting, stinging, caustic, severe,
astringent, stern, acrid, harsh, sour, acid, tart, acrimonious,
bitter, cutting, keen, barbed, trenchant, scathing, incisive,
mordant, sarcastic: This week's Review carries a pungent
criticism of his new novel. 3 distressing, upsetting, poignant,
painful, hurtful, penetrating, piercing, stabbing, intense,
severe, acute, agonizing, oppressive, excruciating, racking,
consuming: Only when surgery eased the pressure was he relieved
of the pungent pain.
punish v. 1 penalize, chastise, castigate, discipline, chasten, scold,
rebuke, take to task, reprove, dress down, admonish, correct,
teach someone a lesson, give a lesson to, throw the book at, rap
(someone's) knuckles, slap (someone's) wrist, have or US call on
the carpet, Colloq take it out on (someone): A child's first
taste of injustice is being punished for something she did not
do. 2 imprison, jail or Brit also gaol, incarcerate, lock up;
fine, mulct, amerce; lash, flog, beat, scourge, spank, whip,
cane, birch, put across or US also turn over (one's) knee, US
paddle; pillory, crucify; tar and feather, exile, banish,
excommunicate, cashier, drum out of the corps; hang, execute,
electrocute, draw and quarter, send to the gas chamber, Colloq
put away, Slang Brit send down, US send up: They were punished
for their crimes. 3 hurt, harm, injure, damage, abuse,
maltreat, rough up, knock about or around, maul, thrash, beat,
trounce, manhandle, batter, Slang beat up: The challenger
punished the champion so badly that he could not come out for
the tenth round.
punishing adj. gruelling, hard, arduous, strenuous, laborious,