punch line
29
3.5
- noun
- /ˈpʌnʧ laɪn/
:
remate
- The punch line of the joke had everyone laughing out loud.
And then it dies down and he delivers the punch line and I'm going to be a father.
- And then it dies down and he delivers the punch line and I'm going to be a father.
- That's the punch line and that's always the punch line.
- And like, I'll just say the punch lines.
- So those are the punch lines of what's the meaning of life and all of that stuff.
- That punch line, that punch line stuck in my throat like a chicken bone.
- I love those kind of little lyrics, those little punch lines.
- And they said we didn't think those were punch lines.
- I, I take the punch line and I want to keep it up in the air as long as possible.
Examples
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Just give us the punch line.
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Then came the punch line: things hadn't worked out well with the horses.
Academic text (1991) -
I will give you the punch line up front.
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OK, so the punch line to that question and answer is this.
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So for me, the punch line is very simple.
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Can you give us one set up and one punch line from that set?
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Do you want to hear the punch line?
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Somehow, "a can of tuna" was supposed to be the punch line.
Fiction book (2000) -
Notice how comedians make use of a pause to hold a listener's attention before giving the punch line.
Academic text (2011) -
And here's the punch line: not long after his release—about two months, to be exact—
Fiction book (1996)
Synonyms
27
3.4
The last line of a joke that makes people laugh
19
8.1
A short clever remark that surprises and amuses people
1
4.2
The final funny line in a joke that makes people laugh
1
3.9
The main funny part of a joke that makes people smile
The last line of a joke that makes people laugh
How Funny
Surface Forms
Morphology
punch + line
The meaning can be partially inferred because 'line' clearly denotes a sentence and 'punch' can be understood as an impact — together suggesting a sentence that delivers an impact. However, the metaphorical extension of 'punch' to mean a comedic or dramatic impact is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure (and some languages do not use the same metaphor), so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The noun punch line may come from the image of the last line giving a sudden punch, like a quick hit that surprises the listener. So the punch line is the final words that give the joke its 'punch' and make people laugh.