Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
pommel (n.), pummel (v.)
One of the two Standard variant pronunciations of pommel is a homophone of pummel: PUHM-uhl. (The other is PAHM-uhl.) A pommel is the knob at the end of the handle of a sword or dagger or the front knob (called the horn) on a saddle; to pummel someone is “to beat or pound (someone), especially with the fists.”
