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Glite Dictionary
uppercut

uppercut

18 5.4
A punch delivered upward to the chin or jaw
  • noun
  • /ˈʌpərˌkʌt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : uppercut
  • I threw a right and followed it up with an uppercut, but I'll stick with it.
  • a right uppercut
  • a left uppercut
  • uppercut to the chin

Jab, jab, right hook, left hook, uppercut, haymaker, Widowmaker.

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Examples

  • Uppercut by Moorer, blasted Foreman's chin backward.

    Big George Foreman (2023)

  • Was that a hook or an uppercut you caught him with that first time?

    On the Waterfront (1954)

  • Guess I should have thrown the uppercut, huh?

    Mortal Kombat (2021)

  • Uppercut right to his jaw.

    The River Wild (1994)

  • He's got a great right uppercut.

    Bound by Honor (1993)

  • Coop hits him with an uppercut and knocks him over onto his back.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • THE IRON HAND connects with an uppercut that knocks Ash out of frame.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Kid Chocolate rocked N'Dam with a left uppercut, which sent the Frenchman into the ropes.

    Blog text (22)

  • Lowry shocks Rocky Marciano with a right uppercut that causes the crowd of thousands to gasp.

    Blog text (25)

  • The boxer delivered a powerful uppercut that knocked his opponent out cold.

Synonyms

punch
vsuppercut
321 1.0

A strong hit with a closed fist used in fighting

is a specific upward blow aimed at the opponent's chin
Sunday punch
vsuppercut
1 8.3

A very strong punch in boxing meant to knock someone out

focuses on an upward motion aimed at the chin rather than raw power

How Strong

haymaker
  • Jargon
3 8.1
uppercut
  • Specialized
18 5.4
hook
  • Specialized
41 5.8
jab
  • Specialized
61 2.8

Surface Forms

uppercut singular
uppercuts plural

Morphology

uppercut = upper + cut (transparent) = upper + cut

The meaning 'an upward blow' is directly and predictably composed from 'upper' (upward) + 'cut' (a blow).

Etymology

Uppercut comes from two simple words: upper meaning 'higher' and cut meaning 'a quick blow'. Picture a short hit that moves up under the chin, so an uppercut is an upward punch that can knock someone out.