Definition of "puny"

Of inferior significance, size, or strength; ineffective, small, weak.  quotations  examples

(chiefly Southern US, south Midland US) (Frequently) ill; poorly, sickly.  examples

(obsolete) Alternative spelling of puisne

1. Inferior in rank; specifically, of a judge: junior.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • Gadsbodkins, you puny Upſtart in the Law, to uſe me ſo, you Green Bag Carrier, you Murderer of unfortunate Cauſes, the Clerks Ink is ſcarce off of your fingers, you that newly come from Lamblacking the Judges ſhooes, and are not fit to wipe mine; […]

     1676 December 11 (first performance), [William] Wycherley, The Plain-Dealer. A Comedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for James Magnes and Rich[ard] Bentley […], published 1677, Act III, page 42

   • When John firſt brought out the Bills, the Surprize of all the Family was unexpreſſible, at the prodigious Dimenſions of them; […] Fees to Judges, puny Judges, Clerks, Prothonotories, Philizers, Chirographers, Underclerks, Proclamators, Counſel, Witneſſes, Jury-men, Marſhals, Tipſtaffs, Cryers, Porters; […]

     1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “How ’’John’’ Look’d Over His Attorney’s Bill”, in Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], London: […] John Morphew, […], page 20

   • But if you think this Trade to baſe, / (Which ſeldom is the Dunce's Caſe) / Put on the Critick's Brow, and ſit / At Wills the puny Judge of Wit.

     1733, [Jonathan Swift], On Poetry: A Rapsody, Dublin, London: […] [R. Fleming] [a]nd sold by J. Huggonson, […], page 15, lines 237–240

   • Many thought that he had altogether cut his own throat, and that he would have to take the first "puny" judgeship vacant.

     1871 (date written), Anthony Trollope, “Daniel Thwaite Receives His Money”, in Lady Anna. […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1874, pages 111–112

2. Coming later in time; secondary, subsequent.  examples

3. Not experienced; novice.  examples

(archaic) An inferior person; a subordinate; also, an insignificant person.  quotations

(obsolete)

1. A younger person; a junior.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • [A] law that the eldeſt or firſt-borne child ſhall ſucceede and inherite all: where nothing is reſerved for punies, but obedience: […] Theſe vaine ſhadowes of our religion, which are ſeene in ſome of theſe examples, witnes the dignitie and divinity thereof.

     1603, Michel de Montaigne, “An Apologie of Raymond Sebond”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], pages 333–334

   • For a worthy man is wounded more deeply by his own Generalls neglect, then by his enemies ſword: […] Who had rather others ſhould make a ladder of his dead corps to ſcale a city by it, then a bridge of him whileſt alive for his punies to give him the Goe-by, and paſſe over him to preferment.

     1642, Thomas Fuller, “The Good Generall”, in The Holy State, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel for John Williams, […], book IV, paragraph 5, page 328

2. Alternative spelling of puisne

   1. A person who is not experienced; a beginner, a novice.  quotations  examples

      Quotations

      • Nay then I ſee thou'rt but a puny in the ſubtill Miſtery of a woman: […]

        1607, attributed to Thomas Middleton or Cyril Tourneur, The Revengers Tragædie. […], London: […] G[eorge] Eld, […], Act I

   2. (law) A puisne or junior judge.  examples

3. (university slang, law) A new student at a school, university, the Inns of Court, etc.; a junior.  quotations

   Quotations

   • [T]he whole companye or most parte of the Studentꝭ [Studentis] of the same house mette toogether to beginne their Christmas, of wch som̃e came to see sports […] others to make sporte wthall of this last sorte were they whome they call Fresh-menn Punies of the first yeare, who are by no meanes admitted to be agent's or behoulders of those sports, before themselues haue biñe patient perfourmers of them.

     c. 1610, “[The Election of the Prince]”, in Frederick S[amuel] Boas, editor, The Christmas Prince (The Malone Society Reprints; 47b), London: Printed for the Malone Society by Frederick Hall M.A. at the Oxford University Press, published 1923 (indicated as 1922), page 3, lines 9–12 and 14–18