Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. disorientated, eccentric, out of control.

1940		J.H. O’Hara Pal Joey 80: The doorman [...] a punchy stumble-bum.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 76: He may have been punchy, but his trigger finger didn’t know about it.
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 34: The corner cowboys tapped their heads and laughed, meaning Terry was punchy.
1965		R.L. Pike Mute Witness (1997) 126: You’re so tired you don’t know what you’re doing anymore. You’re getting punchy.
1968		N. Heard Howard Street 228: EJ, a punchy ex-fighter who’d thrown away a really good chance for the middle-weight boxing title.
1977		J. Sayles Union Dues (1978) 188: He hadn’t slept at all the night before [...] and it made him a little punchy.
1985		(con. 1939) F. Deford in Sports Illus. June 🌐 She remembered what her father had advised her—that all prizefighters were punchy.
1991		M.B. ‘Chopper’ Read Chopper From The Inside 18: Cowboy Johnny was a few years older than me, and a bit punchy.

2. looking like a boxer, e.g. with broken nose, ‘cauliflower’ ears etc.

1942		N. Algren Never Come Morning (1988) 24: I wouldn’t mind gettin’ punchy for a cut of that. Dames don’t care if a guy’s puss is pushed in, so long as they ain’t no dent in his wallet.
1947		I. Shulman Amboy Dukes 128: Going to wash my face so I won’t look so punchy.
1958		F. Norman Bang To Rights 141: One geezer who was a bit punchey got his whole boat fixed up.
1965		F.J. Hardy Yarns of Billy Borker 46: They had so many fights I was worried they would end up punchy.
1992		G. Disher Paydirt [ebook] He was tall, solid and punchy-looking.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 51: Punchy? [...] You’ll be punchy you keep jerking me off.

3. aggressive.

1952		(con. 1920s) ‘Harry Grey’ Hoods (1953) 271: ‘You like to smack people around?’ ‘Yeah [...],’ the punchy moron admitted.
1958		F. Norman in Encounter Nov. in Norman’s London (1969) 55: This geezer is a right nut-case and as punchy as a bulldog.

4. exhausted.

1957

‘Ed Lacy’ Lead With Your Left (1958) 19: By nine I was punchy and glad when Reed called us in.