kidney punch

• kidney-punch

kidney punch (plural kidney punches)

1. A blow struck with the fist to the lower back region, capable of causing serious internal injury and not permitted under the rules of boxing.
   • 1938 June 22, James P. Dawson, “Fight, Might and Whata Right!”, in New York Times, retrieved 6 January 2014:

     Following the bout, Schmeling said he was fouled. He said that he was hit a kidney punch, a devastating right, which so shocked his nervous system that he was dazed and his vision was blurred

   • 1991 September 22, “What Happened To Advertising”, in Businessweek, retrieved 6 January 2014:

     These fees have ballooned. . . . That has hit advertising like a kidney punch.

   • 2007 November 4, “Awesome Calzaghe sets sights on Hopkins superfight”, in London Evening Standard, UK, retrieved 6 January 2014:

     When the champion landed a vicious left-handed kidney punch early in the fourth, Azzaoui crumpled to the canvas.

• body blow

kidney punch (third-person singular simple present kidney punches, present participle kidney punching, simple past and past participle kidney punched)

1. To deliver such a blow.

• “kidney punch”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.