n. [ F. ponce pumice, pounce, fr. L. pumex, -icis, pumice. See Pumice. ] 1. A fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, -- formerly used to prevent ink from spreading on manuscript. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Charcoal dust, or some other colored powder for making patterns through perforated designs, -- used by embroiderers, lace makers, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pounce box, a box for sprinkling pounce. --
Pounce paper, a transparent paper for tracing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pounded p. pr. & vb. n. Pouncing ] To sprinkle or rub with pounce; as, to pounce paper, or a pattern. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. through French, from an assumed LL. punctiare to prick, L. pungere, punctum. See Puncheon, Punch, v. t. ] 1. The claw or talon of a bird of prey. Spenser. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A punch or stamp. [ Obs. ] “A pounce to print money with.” Withals. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Cloth worked in eyelet holes. [ Obs. ] Homilies. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To strike or seize with the talons; to pierce, as with the talons. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Stooped from his highest pitch to pounce a wren. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now pounce him lightly,
And as he roars and rages, let's go deeper. J. Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To punch; to perforate; to stamp holes in, or dots on, by way of ornament. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fall suddenly and seize with the claws; -- with on or upon; as, a hawk pounces upon a chicken. Also used figuratively. [ 1913 Webster ]

Derision is never so agonizing as when it pounces on the wanderings of misguided sensibility. Jeffrey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Furnished with claws or talons; as, the pounced young of the eagle. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Ornamented with perforations or dots. [ Obs. ] “Gilt bowls pounced and pierced.” Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Cf. F. poncette, fr. ponce pounce. See Pounce a powder. ] A box with a perforated lid, for sprinkling pounce, or for holding perfumes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]