

Fail Slower: The Dangers of Punting Too Early - ibagrak
http://codercofounder.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/fail-slower/

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RiderOfGiraffes
Summarising:

In the USA it means to postpone, give up on (possibly temporarily) or to make
someone else's problem or responsibility.

In other parts of the world it can mean to press on with, perhaps against the
odds, or to take an aggressive/assertive course of action.

Might I suggest that people should be aware when using the term that it might
be taken to mean the opposite of what you think?

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ibagrak
Sorry for all the confusion, and thanks for setting the record straight.

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RiderOfGiraffes
Would someone care to explain what "punt" means in this context? It's a word
that turns up reasonably often ...

<http://searchyc.com/punt>

... but I really don't have a clue what it means. Is it some kind of sporting
metaphor?

Thanks.

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ibagrak
It means to give up. To punt on something is to set it aside or to give up on
it. At least that the definition I was going for. :)

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RiderOfGiraffes
Interesting.

In Australian Rules Football, and to a lesser extent in Rubgy and Gaelic
football, a "punt" is a kick which is most commonly used in an attacking
manner.

As a verb, "Punt" can also mean:

\+ A kick of a football

\+ A method of propelling a boat with a pole

\+ To place a bet, usually at long odds, or a risky one

As a noun it can be:

\+ The former unit of money in Ireland

\+ An open flat-bottomed boat (usually propelled with a pole)

\+ The dent in the bottom of a wine bottle

Your usage matches that I've seen here before, but is not one with which I'm
familiar. I wonder if it's preculiarly and specifically North American. In
particular, though, it's the exact opposite of other meanings in other parts
of the world.

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Mc_Big_G
_\+ To place a bet, usually at long odds, or a risky one_

So that's what they mean on "Dragon's Den" when they say "It's a punt for
me.". I guess I assumed something similar, but was never really sure.

