Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Point

Point

(point)
,
Verb.
T.
&
I.
To appoint.
[Obs.]
Spenser.

Point

,
Noun.
[F.
point
, and probably also
pointe
, L.
punctum
,
puncta
, fr.
pungere
,
punctum
, to prick. See
Pungent
, and cf.
Puncto
,
Puncture
.]
1.
That which pricks or pierces; the sharp end of anything, esp. the sharp end of a piercing instrument, as a needle or a pin.
2.
An instrument which pricks or pierces, as a sort of needle used by engravers, etchers, lace workers, and others; also, a pointed cutting tool, as a stone cutter’s point; – called also
pointer
.
3.
Anything which tapers to a sharp, well-defined termination. Specifically: A small promontory or cape; a tract of land extending into the water beyond the common shore line.
4.
The mark made by the end of a sharp, piercing instrument, as a needle; a prick.
5.
An indefinitely small space; a mere spot indicated or supposed. Specifically:
(Geom.)
That which has neither parts nor magnitude; that which has position, but has neither length, breadth, nor thickness, – sometimes conceived of as the limit of a line; that by the motion of which a line is conceived to be produced.
6.
An indivisible portion of time; a moment; an instant; hence, the verge.
When time's first
point
begun
Made he all souls.
Sir J. Davies.
7.
A mark of punctuation; a character used to mark the divisions of a composition, or the pauses to be observed in reading, or to point off groups of figures, etc.; a stop, as a comma, a semicolon, and esp. a period; hence, figuratively, an end, or conclusion.
And there a
point
, for ended is my tale.
Chaucer.
Commas and
points
they set exactly right.
Pope.
8.
Whatever serves to mark progress, rank, or relative position, or to indicate a transition from one state or position to another, degree; step; stage; hence, position or condition attained;
as, a
point
of elevation, or of depression; the stock fell off five
points
; he won by ten
points
.
“A point of precedence.”
Selden.
“Creeping on from point to point.”
Tennyson.
A lord full fat and in good
point
.
Chaucer.
9.
That which arrests attention, or indicates qualities or character; a salient feature; a characteristic; a peculiarity; hence, a particular; an item; a detail;
as, the good or bad
points
of a man, a horse, a book, a story, etc.
He told him,
point
for
point
, in short and plain.
Chaucer.
In
point
of religion and in
point
of honor.
Bacon.
Shalt thou dispute
With Him the
points
of liberty ?
Milton.
10.
Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established;
as, the
point
of an anecdote
.
“Here lies the point.”
Shak.
They will hardly prove his
point
.
Arbuthnot.
11.
A small matter; a trifle; a least consideration; a punctilio.
This fellow doth not stand upon
points
.
Shakespeare
[He] cared not for God or man a
point
.
Spenser.
12.
(Mus.)
A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time
; as:
(a)
(Anc. Mus.)
A dot or mark distinguishing or characterizing certain tones or styles;
as,
points
of perfection, of augmentation, etc.
; hence, a note; a tune.
“Sound the trumpet – not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war.”
Sir W. Scott.
(b)
(Mod. Mus.)
A dot placed at the right hand of a note, to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half, as to make a whole note equal to three half notes, a half note equal to three quarter notes.
13.
(Astron.)
A fixed conventional place for reference, or zero of reckoning, in the heavens, usually the intersection of two or more great circles of the sphere, and named specifically in each case according to the position intended;
as, the equinoctial
points
; the solstitial
points
; the nodal
points
; vertical
points
, etc. See
Equinoctial Nodal
.
14.
(Her.)
One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. See
Escutcheon
.
15.
(Naut.)
(a)
One of the points of the compass (see
Points of the compass
, below); also, the difference between two points of the compass;
as, to fall off a
point
.
(b)
A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. See
Reef point
, under
Reef
.
16.
(Anc. Costume)
A a string or lace used to tie together certain parts of the dress.
Sir W. Scott.
17.
Lace wrought the needle;
as,
point
de Venise; Brussels
point
. See
Point lace
, below.
18.
pl.
(Railways)
A switch.
[Eng.]
19.
An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer.
[Cant, U. S.]
20.
(Cricket)
A fielder who is stationed on the off side, about twelve or fifteen yards from, and a little in advance of, the batsman.
21.
The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game;
as, the dog came to a
point
. See
Pointer
.
22.
(Type Making)
A standard unit of measure for the size of type bodies, being one twelfth of the thickness of pica type. See
Point system of type
, under
Type
.
23.
A tyne or snag of an antler.
24.
One of the spaces on a backgammon board.
25.
(Fencing)
A movement executed with the saber or foil;
as, tierce
point
.
☞ The word
point
is a general term, much used in the sciences, particularly in mathematics, mechanics, perspective, and physics, but generally either in the geometrical sense, or in that of degree, or condition of change, and with some accompanying descriptive or qualifying term, under which, in the vocabulary, the specific uses are explained; as, boiling
point
, carbon
point
, dry
point
, freezing
point
, melting
point
, vanishing
point
, etc.
At all points
,
in every particular, completely; perfectly.
Shak.
–
At point
,
In point
,
At the point
,
In the point
, or
On the point
,
as near as can be; on the verge; about (see
About
,
p
rep.
, 6);
as,
at the point
of death; he was
on the point
of speaking
.
“In point to fall down.”
Chaucer.
“Caius Sidius Geta, at point to have been taken, recovered himself so valiantly as brought day on his side.”
Milton.
–
Dead point
.
(Mach.)
Same as
Dead center
, under
Dead
.
–
Far point
(Med.)
,
in ophthalmology, the farthest point at which objects are seen distinctly. In normal eyes the nearest point at which objects are seen distinctly; either with the two eyes together (binocular near point), or with each eye separately (monocular near point).
–
Nine points of the law
,
all but the tenth point; the greater weight of authority.
–
On the point
.
See
At point
, above.
–
Point lace
,
lace wrought with the needle, as distinguished from that made on the pillow.
–
Point net
,
a machine-made lace imitating a kind of Brussels lace (Brussels ground).
–
Point of concurrence
(Geom.)
,
a point common to two lines, but not a point of tangency or of intersection, as, for instance, that in which a cycloid meets its base.
–
Point of contrary flexure
,
a point at which a curve changes its direction of curvature, or at which its convexity and concavity change sides.
–
Point of order
,
in parliamentary practice, a question of order or propriety under the rules.
–
Point of sight
(Persp.)
,
in a perspective drawing, the point assumed as that occupied by the eye of the spectator.
–
Point of view
,
the relative position from which anything is seen or any subject is considered.
–
Points of the compass
(Naut.)
,
the thirty-two points of division of the compass card in the mariner's compass; the corresponding points by which the circle of the horizon is supposed to be divided, of which the four marking the directions of east, west, north, and south, are called cardinal points, and the rest are named from their respective directions, as N. by E., N. N. E., N. E. by N., N. E., etc. See Illust. under
Compass
.
–
Point paper
,
paper pricked through so as to form a stencil for transferring a design.
–
Point system of type
.
See under
Type
.
–
Singular point
(Geom.)
,
a point of a curve which possesses some property not possessed by points in general on the curve, as a cusp, a point of inflection, a node, etc.
–
To carry one's point
,
to accomplish one's object, as in a controversy.
–
To make a point of
,
to attach special importance to.
–
To make a point
, or
To gain a point
,
accomplish that which was proposed; also, to make advance by a step, grade, or position.
–
To mark a point
, or
To score a point
,
as in billiards, cricket, etc., to note down, or to make, a successful hit, run, etc.
–
To strain a point
,
to go beyond the proper limit or rule; to stretch one's authority or conscience.
–
Vowel point
,
in Arabic, Hebrew, and certain other Eastern and ancient languages, a mark placed above or below the consonant, or attached to it, representing the vowel, or vocal sound, which precedes or follows the consonant.

Point

(point)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pointed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Pointing
.]
[Cf. F.
pointer
. See
Point
,
Noun.
]
1.
To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end;
as, to
point
a dart, or a pencil
. Used also figuratively;
as, to
point
a moral
.
2.
To direct toward an abject; to aim;
as, to
point
a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort
.
3.
Hence, to direct the attention or notice of.
Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and
pointed
to every scene of them.
Pope.
4.
To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate;
as, to
point
a composition
.
6.
To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to indicate, as if by pointing;
as, the error was
pointed
out
.
Pope.
He
points
it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech.
Dickens.
7.
To indicate or discover by a fixed look, as game.
8.
(Masonry)
To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.
9.
(Stone Cutting)
To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool.
To point a rope
(Naut.)
,
to taper and neatly finish off the end by interweaving the nettles.
–
To point a sail
(Naut.)
,
to affix points through the eyelet holes of the reefs.
–
To point off
,
to divide into periods or groups, or to separate, by pointing, as figures.
–
To point the yards
(of a vessel)
(Naut.)
,
to brace them so that the wind shall strike the sails obliquely.
Totten.

Point

(point)
,
Verb.
I.
1.
To direct the point of something, as of a finger, for the purpose of designating an object, and attracting attention to it; – with at.
Now must the world
point
at poor Katharine.
Shakespeare
Point
at the tattered coat and ragged shoe.
Dryden.
2.
To indicate the presence of game by fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do.
He treads with caution, and he
points
with fear.
Gay.
3.
(Med.)
To approximate to the surface; to head; – said of an abscess.
To point at
,
to treat with scorn or contempt by pointing or directing attention to.
–
To point well
(Naut.)
,
to sail close to the wind; – said of a vessel.

Webster 1828 Edition

Point

POINT

,
Noun.
[L. punctum, from pungo, to prick, properly to thrust, pret. pepugi, showing that n is not radical.]
1.
The sharp end of any instrument or body; as the point of a knife, of a sword or of a thorn.
2.
A string with a tag; as a silken point.
3.
A small cape, headland or promontory; a tract of land extending into the sea, a lake or river, beyond the line of the shore, and becoming narrow at the end; as point Judith; Montauk point. It is smaller than a cape.
4.
The sting of an epigram; a lively turn of thought or expression that strikes with force and agreeable surprise.
With periods, points and tropes he slurs his crimes.
5.
An indivisible part of time or space. We say, a point of time, a point of space.
6.
A small space; as a small point of land.
7.
Punctilio; nicety; exactness of ceremony; as points of precedence.
8.
Place near, next or contiguous to; verge; eve. He is on the point of departure, or at the point of death.
9.
Exact place. He left off at the point where he began.
10. Degree; state of elevation, depression or extension; as, he has reached an extraordinary point of excellence. He has fallen to the lowest point of degradation.
11. A character used to mark the divisions of writing, or the pauses to be observed in reading or speaking; as the comma, semi-colon, colon and period. The period is called a full stop,as it marks the close of a sentence.
12. A spot; a part of a surface divided by spots or lines; as the ace or sise point.
13. In geometry, that which has neither parts nor magnitude.
A point is that which has position but not magnitude.
A point is a limit terminating a line.
14. In music, mark or note anciently used to distinguish tones or sounds. Hence, simple counterpoint is when a note of the lower part answers exactly to that of the upper, and figurative counterpoint, is when a note is syncopated and one of the parts makes several notes or inflections of the voice while the other holds on one.
15. In modern music, a dot placed by a note to raise its value or prolong its time by one half, so as to make a semibreve equal to three minims; a minim equal to three quavers, &c.
16. In astronomy, a division of the great circles of the horizon, and of the mariner's compass. The four cardinal points, are the east, west, north and south. On the space between two of these points, making a quadrant or quarter of a circle, the compass is marked with subordinate divisions, the whole number being thirty two points.
17. In astronomy, a certain place marked in the heavens, or distinguished for its importance in astronomical calculations. The zenith and nadir are called vertical points; the nodes are the points where the orbits of the planets intersect the plane of the ecliptic; the place where the equator and ecliptic intersect are called equinoctial points; the points of the ecliptic at which the departure of the sun from the equator, north and south, is terminated, are called solstitial points.
18. In perspective, a certain pole or place with regard to the perspective plane.
19. In manufactories, a lace or work wrought by the needle; as point le Venice, point de Genoa, &c. Sometimes the word is used for lace woven with bobbins. Point devise is used for needle work, or for nice work.
20. The place to which any thing is directed, or the direction in which an object is presented to the eye. We say, in this point of view, an object appears to advantage. In this or that point of view, the evidence is important.
21. Particular; single thing or subject. In what point do we differ? All points of controversy between the parties are adjusted. We say, in point of antiquity, in point of fact, in point of excellence. The letter in every point is admirable. The treaty is executed in every point.
22. Aim; purpose; thing to be reached or accomplished; as, to gain one's point.
23. The act of aiming or striking.
What a point your falcon made.
24. A single position; a single assertion; a single part of a complicated question or of a whole.
These arguments are not sufficient to prove the point.
Strange point and new!
Doctrine which we would know whence learned.
25. A note or tune.
Turning your tongue divine
To a loud trumpet, and a point of war.
26. In heraldry, points are the several different parts of the escutcheon, denoting the local positions of figures.
27. In electricity, the acute termination of a body which facilitates the passage of the fluid to or from the body.
28. In gunnery, point-blank denotes the shot of a gun leveled horizontally. The point-blank range is the extent of the apparent right line of a ball discharged. In shooting point-blank,the ball is supposed to move directly to the object, without a curve. Hence adverbially, the word is equivalent to directly.
29. In marine language, points are flat pieces of braided cordage, tapering from the middle towards each end; used in reefing the courses and top-sails of square-rigged vessels.
Point de vise, [Fr.] exactly in the point of view.
Vowel-points, in the Hebrew and other eastern languages, are certain marks placed above or below the consonants, or attached to them, as in the Ethiopic, representing the vocal sounds or vowels, which precede or follow the articulations.
The point, the subject; the main question; the precise thing to be considered, determined or accomplished. This argument may be true, but it is not to the point.

POINT

,
Verb.
T.
To sharpen; to cut, forge, grind or file to an acute end; as, to point a dart or a pin; also, to taper, as a rope.
1.
To direct towards an object or place, to show its position, or excite attention to it; as, to point the finger at an object; to point the finger of scorn at one.
2.
To direct the eye or notice.
Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them, would see nothing but subjects of surprise.
3.
To aim; to direct towards an object; as, to point a musket at a wolf; to point a cannon at a gate.
4.
To mark with characters for the purpose of distinguishing the members of a sentence, and designating the pauses; as, to point a written composition.
5.
To mark with vowel-points.
6.
To appoint. [Not in use.]
7.
To fill the joints with mortar, and smooth them with the point of a trowel; as, to point a wall.
To point out, to show by the finger or by other means.
To point a sail, to affix points through the eyelet-holes of the reefs.

POINT

,
Verb.
I.
To direct the finger for designating an object, and exciting attention to it; with at.
Now must the world point at poor Catherine.
Point at the tatter'd coat and ragged shoe.
1.
To indicate, as dogs do to sportsmen.
He treads with caution, and he points with fear.
2.
To show distinctly by any means.
To point at what time the balance of power was most equally held between the lords and commons at Rome, would perhaps admit a controversy.
3.
To fill the joints or crevices of a wall with mortar.
4.
In the rigging of a ship, to taper the end of a rope or splice, and work over the reduced part a small close netting, with an even number of knittles twisted from the same.
To point at, to treat with scorn or contempt by pointing or directing attention to.

Definition 2024

point

point

English

Noun

point ‎(plural points)

  1. A discrete division of something.
    1. An individual element in a larger whole; a particular detail, thought, or quality. [from 13th c.]
      The Congress debated the finer points of the bill.‎
    2. A particular moment in an event or occurrence; a juncture. [from 13th c.]
      There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up.‎
      At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda.‎
    3. (archaic) Condition, state. [from 13th c.]
      She was not feeling in good point.‎
    4. A topic of discussion or debate; a proposition, a focus of conversation or consideration. [from 14th c.]
      I made the point that we all had an interest to protect.‎
    5. (obsolete) The smallest quantity of something; a jot, a whit. [14th-17th c.]
      • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.ii:
        full large of limbe and euery ioint / He was, and cared not for God or man a point.
    6. (obsolete) A tiny amount of time; a moment. [14th-17th c.]
      • (Can we date this quote?), Sir J. Davies, (Please provide the title of the work):
        When time's first point begun / Made he all souls.
    7. A specific location or place, seen as a spatial position. [from 14th c.]
      We should meet at a pre-arranged point.‎
    8. (mathematics, sciences) A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions; something considered to have position but no magnitude or direction. [from 14th c.]
    9. A purpose or objective. [from 14th c.]
      Since the decision has already been made, I see little point in further discussion.‎
    10. A full stop or other terminal punctuation mark. [from 14th c.]
      • (Can we date this quote?), Alexander Pope, (Please provide the title of the work):
        Commas and points they set exactly right.
    11. (music) A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time. In ancient music, it distinguished or characterized certain tones or styles (points of perfection, of augmentation, etc.). In modern music, it is placed on the right of a note to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half.
    12. (by extension) A note; a tune.
      • (Can we date this quote?), Sir Walter Scott, (Please provide the title of the work):
        Sound the trumpet — not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war.
    13. A distinguishing quality or characteristic. [from 15th c.]
      Logic isn't my strong point.‎
    14. Something tiny, as a pinprick; a very small mark. [from 15th c.]
      The stars showed as tiny points of yellow light.‎
    15. (now only in phrases) A tenth; formerly also a twelfth. [from 17th c.]
      Possession is nine points of the law.‎
    16. Each of the marks or strokes written above letters, especially in Semitic languages, to indicate vowels, stress etc. [from 17th c.]
    17. (sports, video games, board games) A unit of scoring in a game or competition. [from 18th c.]
      The one with the most points will win the game‎
    18. (mathematics) A decimal point (now especially when reading decimal fractions aloud). [from 18th c.]
      10.5‎ ("ten point five"; = ten and a half)
    19. (economics) A unit used to express differences in prices of stocks and shares. [from 19th c.]
    20. (typography) a unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era). [from 19th c.]
    21. (Britain) An electric power socket. [from 20th c.]
    22. (navigation, nautical) A unit of bearing equal to one thirty-second of a circle, i.e. 11.25°.
      Ship ahoy, three points off the starboard bow!‎
  2. A sharp extremity.
    1. The sharp tip of an object. [from 14th c.]
      Cut the skin with the point of the knife.‎
    2. Any projecting extremity of an object. [from 14th c.]
    3. An object which has a sharp or tapering tip. [from 14th c.]
      His cowboy belt was studded with points.‎
    4. (backgammon) Each of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played. [from 15th c.]
    5. A peninsula or promontory. [from 15th c.]
    6. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force. [from 16th c.]
      • 2005, Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945–2000, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0-7432-3011-6, page 189:
        Willie Jones decided to become Kimani Jones, Black Panther, on the day his best friend, Otis Nicholson, stepped on a mine while walking point during a sweep in the central highlands.
    7. Each of the main directions on a compass, usually considered to be 32 in number; a direction. [from 16th c.]
    8. (nautical) The difference between two points of the compass.
      to fall off a point‎
    9. Pointedness of speech or writing; a penetrating or decisive quality of expression. [from 17th c.]
      • 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:
        There was moreover a hint of the duchess in the infinite point with which, as she felt, she exclaimed: "And this is what you call coming often?"
      • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 4, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
        I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.
    10. (rail transport, Britain, in the plural) A railroad switch. [from 19th c.]
    11. (usually in the plural) An area of contrasting colour on an animal, especially a dog; a marking. [from 19th c.]
      The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable.‎
    12. A tine or snag of an antler.
    13. (fencing) A movement executed with the sabre or foil.
      tierce point‎
  3. (heraldry) One of the several different parts of the escutcheon.
  4. (nautical) A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails.
  5. (historical) A string or lace used to tie together certain garments.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir Walter Scott to this entry?)
  6. Lace worked by the needle.
    point de Venise; Brussels point‎
  7. (US, slang, dated) An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer.
  8. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game.
    The dog came to a point.‎
  9. (falconry) The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover.
  10. The act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions.
  11. (medicine, obsolete) A vaccine point.
  12. In various sports, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player occupying that position.
    1. (cricket) A fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover. [from 19th c.]
    2. (lacrosse, ice hockey) The position of the player of each side who stands a short distance in front of the goalkeeper.
    3. (baseball) The position of the pitcher and catcher.
    4. (hunting) A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run.

Synonyms

See also

  • Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take for the use of point with these verbs

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Descendants

Verb

point ‎(third-person singular simple present points, present participle pointing, simple past and past participle pointed)

  1. (intransitive) To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it.
    • (Can we date this quote?), Shakespeare, (Please provide the title of the work):
      Now must the world point at poor Katharine.
    • (Can we date this quote?), Dryden, (Please provide the title of the work):
      Point at the tattered coat and ragged shoe.
    • 2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:
      Luiz struggled with the movement of Helguson in the box, as he collected a long ball and the Spaniard barged him over, leaving referee Chris Foy little option but to point to the spot.
    It's rude to point at other people.‎
  2. (intransitive) To draw attention to something or indicate a direction.
    • 2013 June 7, Ed Pilkington, “‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 6:
      In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.
    The arrow of a compass points north‎
    The skis were pointing uphill.‎
    The arrow on the map points towards the entrance‎
  3. (intransitive) To face in a particular direction.
  4. (transitive) To direct toward an object; to aim.
    to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort‎
  5. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end.
    to point a dart, a pencil, or (figuratively) a moral‎
  6. (intransitive) To indicate a probability of something.
    • 2011 December 21, Helen Pidd, “Europeans migrate south as continent drifts deeper into crisis”, in the Guardian:
      Tens of thousands of Portuguese, Greek and Irish people have left their homelands this year, many heading for the southern hemisphere. Anecdotal evidence points to the same happening in Spain and Italy.
  7. (transitive, intransitive, masonry) To repair mortar.
  8. (transitive, masonry) To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.
  9. (stone-cutting) To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool.
  10. (transitive) To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction.
    If he asks for food, point him toward the refrigerator.‎
    • (Can we date this quote?), Alexander Pope, (Please provide the title of the work):
      Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them.
  11. (transitive, mathematics) To separate an integer from a decimal with a decimal point.
  12. (transitive) To mark with diacritics.
  13. (dated) To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate.
    to point a composition‎
  14. (transitive, computing) To direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory.
  15. (transitive, Internet) To direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name.
  16. (intransitive, nautical) To sail close to the wind.
    Bear off a little, we're pointing.‎
  17. (intransitive, hunting) To indicate the presence of game by a fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do.
    • (Can we date this quote?), John Gay, (Please provide the title of the work):
      He treads with caution, and he points with fear.
  18. (medicine, of an abscess) To approximate to the surface; to head.
  19. (obsolete) To appoint.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)
  20. (dated) To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to point out.
    • (Can we date this quote?), Charles Dickens, (Please provide the title of the work):
      He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexander Pope to this entry?)

Derived terms

Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: number · alone · body · #345: point · letter · become · became

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pwɛ̃/
  • (Quebec) IPA(key): [pwɛ̃ɪ̃]
  • Rhymes: -ɛ̃
  • Homophones: poing, poings, points

Etymology 1

From Middle French poinct (with orthography modified to reflect the Latin etymology), from Old French point, from Latin punctum.

Noun

point m ‎(plural points)

  1. point (small mark)
  2. (sports, games) point
  3. full stop, period (punctuation mark)
Derived terms

Adverb

point

  1. (literary, dialectal, usually with "ne") not
    Ne craignez point‎ ― Fear not
Synonyms
  • pas (contemporary French)

Related terms

Etymology 2

From Old French point, from Latin punctus.

Verb

point m ‎(feminine singular pointe, masculine plural points, feminine plural pointes)

  1. past participle of poindre

Etymology 3

From Latin pungit.

Verb

point

  1. third-person singular present indicative of poindre

Anagrams

Manx

Verb

point ‎(verbal noun pointeil, past participle pointit)

  1. appoint

Mutation

Manx mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
point phoint boint
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Norman

Etymology

From Old French point, from Latin punctum.

Noun

point m ‎(plural points)

  1. (Jersey) full stop, period (punctuation mark)
Derived terms

Old French

Etymology 1

From Latin punctum.

Noun

point m ‎(oblique plural poinz or pointz, nominative singular poinz or pointz, nominative plural point)

  1. a sting; a prick
  2. moment; time
  3. (on a die) dot
  4. small amount

Adverb

point

  1. a little
  2. (with ne) not (indicates negation)

Descendants

Etymology 2

From Latin punctus.

Verb

point

  1. past participle of poindre

Descendants

Polish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [pwɛnt]

Noun

point f pl

  1. genitive plural of pointa

Etymology

From Middle English point, a borrowing from Old French point ‎(“a point, dot, full stop, period, speck, hole, stitch, point of time, moment, difficulty, etc.”), from Latin punctum ‎(“a point, puncture”), prop. a hole punched in, substantive use of punctus, perfect passive participle of pungō ‎(“I prick, punch”). Displaced native Middle English ord ‎(“point”), from Old English ord ‎(“point”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) enPR: point, IPA(key): /pɔɪnt/
  • Rhymes: -ɔɪnt

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