PUNCH, PLEASED (WORRIED, PROUD, FRIENDLY, ALIVE, ETC.) AS

extremely delighted or pleased (or worried, proud, friendly, etc.) about something. This expression comes from a comic puppet show called "Punch and Judy" which was especially popular in England. The show originated in Italy in the 1600s with the main character of the play named Pulcinello. When it appeared in England, the name of the main character became Punchinello and was later shortened to Punch. Punch is an ugly character with a humpback and a large hooked nose, who enjoys hitting people, specifically his nagging wife Judy and their baby. The selfsatisfaction and pleasure with his evil deeds is shown by him often singing to himself, thus giving rise to the expression pleased as Punch. The phrase, as Punch, is also used with other modifiers (such as alive and friendly) to mean extremely or very much.