punt

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
punt1 /pʌnt/

▶noun a long, narrow flat-bottomed boat, square at both ends and propelled with a long pole. ▶verb travel or convey in a punt.

– origin OE, from L. ponto, denoting a flat-bottomed ferry boat.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
punt2 /pʌnt/

▶verb

• 1 American Football & Rugby kick the ball after it has dropped from the hands and before it reaches the ground.

• 2 Soccer kick (the ball) a long distance upfield.

▶noun a kick of this kind.

– origin C19: prob. from dial. punt ‘push forcibly’; cf. bunt3.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
punt3 /pʌnt/

▶verb (in some gambling card games) lay a stake against the bank.

■ Brit. informal bet or speculate.

▶noun Brit. informal a bet.

– origin C18: from Fr. ponte ‘player against the bank’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
punt4 /pʊnt/

▶noun (until the introduction of the euro in 2002) the basic monetary unit of the Republic of Ireland, equal to 100 pence.

– origin Ir., lit. ‘pound’.