suffolk punch
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A short, thick-set cart-horse. The term was formerly applied to any short fat man, and is probably the same word as above, though it may be connected with puncheon, the large cask.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “suffolk punch” mean?
A short, thick-set cart-horse. The term was formerly applied to any short fat man, and is probably the same word as above, though it may be connected with puncheon, the large cask.
Is “suffolk punch” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.