A sucker punch is an unexpected punch, originating from boxing. It has migrated to idiomatic usage in English to refer to unexpected negative consequences in various areas such as politics, law, medicine, and sports. It involves the unexpected or unpredictable and can mean a painful and unexpected blow.
The Oxford English Dictionary dates the use of the term sucker punch in the sport of boxing to 1947. Essentially, it’s an unexpected punch. Gullible is a gullible, or someone who could be taken advantage of. Since its use in boxing, the term has migrated into idiomatic usage in English to refer to unexpected negative consequences.
The Internet Devil’s Dictionary, for example, defines an iron fist as saying goodbye to your in-laws on Thanksgiving, only to find out they’ll be back to visit you at Christmas. Also, it can be defined as the headaches and hangovers that accompany overindulgence in free drinks. A certain irony accompanies these two definitions.
In politics, fluke could refer to a text buried in a bill that would actually negate the value of the law. For example it could be attributed to a bill to increase funding for schools, where in reality a supervisory body being created at the same time could gobble up funds.
In law, a fluke could be the introduction of a surprise witness or surprise testimony. In medicine, it could be described as a cure for a disease almost as serious as the disease itself. For example, zinc is often thought to shorten the duration of colds. However, many people experience stomach upset or stomach pain as a result of consuming zinc. In this case, the cure can be as bad as the disease and the stomach ache is sucker stroke.
In sports, the term has migrated to other sports besides boxing. For example, in football, it could be a fumble play or a quarterback sack. Also, a brilliantly executed play could be considered a cup punch if the referee calls a foul, thus voiding the game.
A suction punch could also be used in everyday situations. For example, you take a friend out to lunch and then you are rewarded with excessive self-criticism. Alternatively, a girl breaks up with her boyfriend the night she plans to propose marriage. In most cases, the punch involves the unexpected or the unpredictable. Just like in boxing, it can mean a painful and unexpected blow.
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