▪ I. † punge, v. Obs.
[ad. L. pung-ĕre to prick, puncture. Cf. punȝe, punye v.]
1. trans. To prick, pierce; to push or drive with a pointed instrument, to goad.
| c 1320 R. Brunne Medit. 567 Þey punged hym furþe þurgh euery slogh. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 88 A pyk is in þe potent to punge a-doun þe wikkede. 1382 Wyclif Rev. i. 7 Thei that pungeden [gloss or prickeden] him. 1570 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) I. 502/1 This byrde..punged them with her beacke, plucked them by the skynne and fethers, and in all places hurted them. |
2. To affect pungently; to cause to smart; to sting. Also absol.
| 1657 Tomlinson Renou's Disp. 295 [A nettle] by the Greeks sometimes called Cnide, because it punges mordaciously. 1673 Phil. Trans. VIII. 7000 The smoak and soot of herbs and wood punge the eye. |
Hence † ˈpunging vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxi. 5 In spittynge buffetynge and pungynge with the thornes. 1670 Maynwaring Physician's Repos. 90 Mixing alkalyes with acids, the acidity is destroyed, the punging quality is taken away. |
▪ II. punge
var. punji.