1 a very loud repeated noise, such as the sound of sth hitting sth else hard; the sound or the feeling of your heart beating strongly:
We were awoken by a pounding at the door. * There was a pounding in his head.
2 an occasion when sth is hit hard or attacked and severely damaged:
The boat took a pounding in the gale. * (figurative) The team took a pounding (= were badly defeated).
