I. A fist: pugnus a punctione, id est percussu dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 219 Müll.: “manum plane comprimere pugnumque facere,” Cic. Ac. 2, 47, 145: “certare pugnis, calcibus, unguibus,” id. Tusc. 5, 27, 77; cf. Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 23, § 56: “pugnis contundere aliquem,” Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 46: “pugnum impingere alicui in os,” id. Rud. 3, 4, 5: “pugnis onerare,” id. Am. 1, 1, 72: “obtundere,” id. ib. 2, 1, 59: “pugnos in ventrem ingerere,” Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 95: “pugnum ducere alicui,” to give one a blow with the fist, Dig. 47, 10, 4: “percusserit proximum suum pugno,” Vulg. Exod. 21, 18.—Poet., of boxing: “neque pugno Neque segni pede victus,” Hor. C. 3, 12, 8; 1, 12, 26: “Castor gaudet equis, ovo prognatus eodem Pugnis,” id. S. 2, 1, 27. —
II. Transf., as a measure, a fistful, handful, Cato, R. R. 82; Marc. Emp. 8 med.: “pugnus aeris,” Sen. Ira, 3, 33, 1.
