to extricate one’s self from a difficult situation by essentially avoiding the conflict altogether; derives from the play in American football in which the offensive side opts to forego a final attempt at advancing the ball in favor of giving possession over to the defending team via a booming kick, resulting in a less favorable field position for the opponent; the word can be used when someone deflects a thorny or importunate question, or when they simply lack the time or resources to address a concern at the moment; commonly employed to describe the actions of another but infrequently used by the person doing the punting, due to negative or cowardly connotations