pinch and a punch for the first of the month
This phrase is a playful tradition mainly observed in English-speaking countries, often by children, on the first day of each month.
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Definition
B2Cultural
(informal, idiomatic)A playful custom where one person lightly pinches and then punches another on the first day of the month while saying the phrase.
Example
- On the first of the month, Tom gave his sister a pinch and a punch for the first of the month.
- As soon as the calendar turned, she received a pinch and a punch for the first of the month.
C1General
(informal, idiomatic)Two setbacks or attacks occurring at the beginning of something.
Example
- Starting a new job with a computer crash and a missed deadline felt like a pinch and a punch for the first of the month.