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I just read about a guy that was beaten to the punch several times. I couldn't find a meaning of that using my dictionary or Google, so what does that mean?

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    @JasperLoy to be fair Google customizes searches, so maybe Roflcoptr searches for egg recipes and fruit drinks a lot.
    – NominSim
    Commented Jun 12, 2012 at 20:17

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Free Dictionary says:

beat someone to the punch and beat someone to the draw: to do something before someone else does it.

I'd better post before someone beats me to the punch.

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  • Do you know if it comes from boxing? From duelling? Just curious.
    – JAM
    Commented Jun 12, 2012 at 21:03
  • Etymology online (at etymonline.com/index.php?term=punch) says "To beat (someone) to the punch is from 1923, a metaphor from boxing."
    – rajah9
    Commented Jun 12, 2012 at 21:22

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