punching bag
3
2.9
- noun
- /ˈpʌnʧɪŋ bæg/
:
saco de boxeo
- Al began his training by throwing powerful jabs at the punching bag to improve his technique.
- hit the punching bag
- pound a punching bag
- punching bag in the basement
And what I mean, one particular one that I did, I had an old canvas punch bag, like a Brian punch bag from Argos, like a real rough shit one.
- And what I mean, one particular one that I did, I had an old canvas punch bag, like a Brian punch bag from Argos, like a real rough shit one.
Examples
-
There were free weights, a punching bag, a weight machine, and a treadmill.
Fiction book (2002) -
Boys of all ages lift weights, hit punching bags, and skip rope.
Fiction book (1998) -
You can always buy a punching bag.
-
A heavy punching bag was set up in a far corner.
Fiction book (1990) -
Al began hitting a punching bag in rhythm to the music.
Fiction book (1990) -
There's a boxing punch-bag suspended from the ceiling and a rough and ready shower area.
Fiction book (1991) -
Afterward, Moon always went home and put on his gloves and hit the punching bag Buster gave him and pretended he was Buster.
Fiction book (1990) -
Resisting temptation, she turned away from him and stared at the punching bag, feeling her heart thump.
Fiction book (2002) -
After a long day, he found relief by taking out his frustrations on the punching bag in the gym.
-
The gym was filled with various equipment, including a punching bag that swung slightly when struck.
Synonyms
A heavy bag hung up that you hit to train for boxing
A bag filled with air that hangs for boxing practice
A hanging ball you hit to practice boxing and improve speed and control
How Heavy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The metaphorical sense maps directly from the literal object (a bag you punch) to a person who receives blows—i.e., criticism or abuse—so the relation to the constituent meanings is clearly inferable. However, the shift from a physical training object to a human target of verbal/emotional attacks is a metaphorical extension that may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure, so partial transparency is appropriate.
Etymology
Punching bag was originally the heavy, stuffed bag that fighters punch many times to practice their moves. Because it is something you hit again and again to learn, the name now means the equipment used for 'training'.