pounding

Pounding is the act of striking something repeatedly with a heavy object or with one's fists, producing a series of blows and often generating heat, deformation, or texture changes.

In manufacturing and metalworking, pounding refers to hammering metal to shape it, drive out imperfections, or finalize a part; in forging, repeated blows reshape heated material. In construction, piling operations use impact to drive piles into the ground, a form of pounding.

In cooking, pounding uses a mallet, pestle, or paddle to tenderize meat, crush spices, or flatten foods; pounding helps break down fibers and allows marinades to penetrate.

In medicine, pounding describes a sensation of a rapidly beating heart or palpitations, often described as throbbing or pounding in the chest; causes include exertion, stress, caffeine, or arrhythmias; persistent symptoms warrant medical evaluation.

In music and popular culture, pounding denotes a heavy, insistent drumbeat or bass, often associated with genres such as electronic dance music or percussion-based rhythms; the term can also appear in phrases like "pounding the pavement" to describe persistent activity.