ponce

Etymology

Possibly from a shortening of French pensionnaire (“boarder, lodger, person living without working”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɒns/
• Rhymes: -ɒns

Noun

ponce (plural ponces)

1. (Britain, slang) A man employed by a prostitute to find clients, and who may also act as a bodyguard and driver. A ponce is different from a pimp in being the prostitute's employee, not the employer.
2. (Britain, Australia, Ireland, pejorative) A posh or effeminate person.

Verb

ponce (third-person singular simple present ponces, present participle poncing, simple past and past participle ponced)

1. (Britain, slang) To act as a pimp.
2. (Britain, slang) Hence, to try to get rid of or proactively sell something.
3. (Britain, pejorative) To behave in a posh or effeminate manner.
   • 1992, Michael Swanwick, Stations of the Tide:

     The interior was warm and dim, cluttered with flying brass pigs and poncing felt mannequins.

4. (Britain, slang) To borrow (something) from somebody without returning it.

Derived terms

• ponce wheel
• poncey

Anagrams

• Copen, NOPEC

Etymology

From Latin pūmex (via a Late Latin pōmex).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔ̃s/

Noun

ponce f (plural ponces)

1. pumice
2. (Quebec) hot alcoholic beverage made with gin or rum

Further reading

• “ponce” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).