1. Home
2. Idioms
3. pounce on

pounce on

---

---

pounce (up)on someone or something

to spring or swoop upon someone or something; to seize someone or something. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) As Gerald came into the room, his friend Daniel pounced on him and frightened him to death. The cat pounced upon a mouse.

See also: on, pounce

pounce on

v.

1. To jump, leap, or bound onto something or someone: The cat pounced on the mouse and killed it. We saw a falcon pounce on a rabbit.

2. To criticize or attack someone verbally: He suddenly pounced on me for not returning his book.

3. To take advantage of something enthusiastically, as an opportunity; jump at something: She pounced on the chance to move to New York and go to law school.

See also: on, pounce