point

[[t]pɔɪnt[/t]]

n.

1) a sharp or tapering end, as of a dagger

2) a projecting part of anything:

a point of land[/ex]

3) something having a sharp or tapering end (often used in combination):

a penpoint[/ex]

4) math. something that has position but not extension, as the intersection of two lines

5)

a) period 6)

b) an embossed dot used in printing for the blind

6) math.

See under decimal fraction

7) bui a pointed tool or instrument, as an etching needle

8) naut. navig. any of 32 separate horizontal directions on a compass, 11° 15′ apart

9) a degree or stage:

frankness to the point of insult[/ex]

10) a particular instant of time

11) a critical position in a course of affairs

12) the important or essential thing:

the point of the matter[/ex]

13) an individual part or element of something:

noble points in her character[/ex]

14) a distinguishing mark or quality of an animal, used as a standard in stockbreeding, judging, etc

15) phn ling. a diacritic, as a dot or line, indicating a vowel or modification of a sound in a writing system

16) ant ara a stone implement with a tapering end found in some Middle and Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic industries, used primarily for hunting

17) points

a) dch the extremities of an animal, esp. a horse, dog, or cat

b) dch markings on the extremities of an animal, as on the ears, feet, and tail, that contrast in color with the rest of the body

18) rai brit. points, Brit. a railroad switch

19) gam a unit of count in the score of a game

20) gam (in craps) the number that must be thrown to win but not including 7 or 11 on the first roll

21) spog Ice Hockey. either of two positions, to the right or left of the goal, to which an attacking defenseman is assigned

22) spog Basketball. a position in the rear of the front court, usu. taken by the point guard

23) spo Cricket.

the position of the fielder who plays in front of and to the offside of the batsman

24) spo Chiefly Boxing. the end or tip of the chin

25) spo

a) the action of a hunting dog in locating game by direction of its head toward the game

b) such a position taken by a hunting dog

26) a branch of an antler of a deer:

an eight-point buck[/ex]

27) edu Educ. a credit hour

28)

a) bus a unit of price quotation, as, in the U.S., one dollar in stock transactions

b) cvb one percent of gross profits or of the face value of a loan, paid to an investor as compensation or by a borrower as a fee

29) jew jew a unit of weight equal to 1/100 of a carat

30) mil Mil.

a) mil a patrol that goes ahead of the advance party, or, sometimes, follows the rear party

b) mil

point man

31) Print.

pri a unit of type measurement equal to 0.013835 inch (1/72 inch), or 1/12 pica

32) wam a unit of measure of paper or card thickness, equal to 1/1000 of an inch

33) tex

point lace

34) her one of the divisions of a heraldic shield by which the position of a charge is determined

35) the act of pointing

36) clo archaic a tagged ribbon or cord, formerly much used in dress, as for tying or fastening parts

37) to direct (the finger, a weapon, the attention, etc.) at, to, or upon something

38) to indicate the presence or position of (usu. fol. by out):

to point out an object in the sky[/ex]

39) to direct attention to (usu. fol. by out):

to point out advantages[/ex]

40) to furnish with a point; sharpen

41) to mark with points, dots, or the like

42) phn ling. to mark (letters, as in Arabic or Hebrew) with diacritics

43) to separate (figures) by dots or points (usu. fol. by off)

44) to give greater or added force to (often fol. by up):

to point up the need for caution[/ex]

45) spo (of a hunting dog) to indicate the presence and location of (game) by standing rigid and facing toward the game

46) bui Masonry.

to fill the joints of (brickwork, stonework, etc.) with new mortar or cement

47) to indicate position or direction, as with the finger

48) to direct the mind or thought in some direction; call attention to:

Everything points to their guilt[/ex]

49) to aim

50) to have or signify a tendency toward something:

Conditions point to inflation[/ex]

51) spo (of a hunting dog) to point game

52) naut. navig. Naut. to sail close to the wind

•

- beside the point in point in point of make a point of on strain or stretch a point to the point

Etymology: 1175–1225; ME point(e) < OF point dot, mark, place, moment (< L pūnctum, n. use of neut. ptp. of pungere to prick, stab) and pointe sharp end (< ML pūncta, n. use of fem. ptp. of L pungere)