/ pɔɪnt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
OPINION / FACT
1.
[ C ] a thing that sb says or writes giving their opinion or stating a fact :
She made several interesting points in the article.
I take your point (= understand and accept what you are saying) .
He's just saying that to prove a point (= to show his idea is right) .
OK, you've made your point !
—see also talking point
MAIN IDEA
2.
[ C ] (usually the point ) the main or most important idea in sth that is said or done :
The point is you shouldn't have to wait so long to see a doctor.
I wish he would get to the point (= say it quickly) .
I'll come straight to the point : we need more money.
Do you see my point (= understand) ?
I think I missed the point (= did not understand) .
You have a point (= your idea is right) —it would be better to wait till this evening.
'There won't be anywhere to park.' 'Oh, that's a (good) point .' (= I had not thought of that)
It just isn't true. That's the whole point (= the only important fact) .
'He's been married before.' ' That's beside the point ' (= not important) .
I know it won't cost very much but that's not the point (= not the important thing) .
PURPOSE
3.
[ U , sing. ] the purpose or aim of sth :
What's the point of all this violence?
There's no point in getting angry.
I don't see the point of doing it all again.
The point of the lesson is to compare the two countries.
➡ note at purpose
DETAIL
4.
[ C ] a particular detail or fact :
Here are the main points of the news.
Can you explain that point again?
QUALITY
5.
[ C ] a particular quality or feature that sb/sth has :
Tact is not one of her strong points .
Read the manual to learn the program's finer points (= small details) .
Living in Scotland has its good points but the weather is not one of them.
One of the hotel's plus points (= good features) is that it is very central.
—see also selling point
TIME
6.
[ C ] a particular time or stage of development :
The climber was at / on the point of death when they found him.
We were on the point of giving up.
Many people suffer from mental illness at some point in their lives.
We had reached the point when there was no money left.
At this point in time we just have to wait.
At this point I don't care what you decide to do.
—see also high point , low point , saturation point , starting point , sticking point , turning point
PLACE
7.
[ C ] a particular place or area :
I'll wait for you at the meeting point in the arrivals hall.
the point at which the river divides
Draw a line from point A to point B.
No parking beyond this point.
—see also focal point , jumping-off point , three-point turn , vanishing point , vantage point
DIRECTION
8.
[ C ] one of the marks of direction around a compass :
the points of the compass (= N, S, E, W, etc.)
IN COMPETITION
9.
[ C ] ( abbr. pt ) an individual unit that adds to a score in a game or sports competition :
to win / lose a point
Australia finished 20 points ahead.
They won on points (= by scoring more points rather than by completely defeating their opponents) .
—see also brownie point , match point
MEASUREMENT
10.
[ C ] a mark or unit on a scale of measurement :
The party's share of the vote fell by ten percentage points.
—see also boiling point , freezing point , melting point
PUNCTUATION
11.
[ C ] a small dot used in writing, especially the dot that separates a whole number from the part that comes after it :
two point six (2.6)
a decimal point
We broadcast on ninety-five point nine (95.9) FM.
—see also bullet point
SHARP END
12.
[ C ] the sharp thin end of sth :
the point of a pencil / knife / pin
—picture at carving knife
—see also ballpoint , gunpoint , knifepoint
LAND
13.
[ C ] (also Point ) a narrow piece of land that stretches into the sea :
The ship sailed around the point.
Pagoda Point
OF LIGHT / COLOUR
14.
[ C ] a very small dot of light or colour :
The stars were points of light in the sky.
FOR ELECTRICITY
15.
[ C ] ( BrE ) a place in a wall, etc. where a piece of equipment can be connected to electricity :
a power / shaver / telephone point
IN BALLET
16.
points [ pl. ] = pointe
ON RAILWAY TRACK
17.
points [ pl. ] ( BrE ) ( NAmE switch [ C ]) a piece of track at a place where a railway / railroad line divides that can be moved to allow a train to change tracks
SIZE OF LETTERS
18.
[ U ] a unit of measurement for the size of letters in printing or on a computer screen, etc. :
Change the text to 10 point.
•
IDIOMS
- if / when it comes to the point
- in point of fact
- make a point of doing sth
- more to the point
- point of contact
- a point of departure
- a point of honour
- the point of no return
- point taken
- to the point
- to the point of (doing) sth
- up to a (certain) point
—more at belabour , case noun , fine adjective , labour verb , moot adjective , score verb , sore adjective , stretch verb
■ verb
SHOW WITH FINGER
1.
[ no passive ] point (at / to / towards sb/sth) to stretch out your finger or sth held in your hand towards sb/sth in order to show sb where a person or thing is :
[ v ]
It's rude to point!
He pointed to the spot where the house used to stand.
'What's your name?' he asked, pointing at the child with his pen.
She pointed in my direction.
[ vn ]
She pointed her finger in my direction.
AIM
2.
[ vn ] point sth (at sb/sth) to aim sth at sb/sth :
He pointed the gun at her head.
FACE DIRECTION
3.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to face in or be directed towards a particular direction :
The telescope was pointing in the wrong direction.
The signpost pointed straight ahead.
A compass needle points north.
LEAD TO
4.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to lead to or suggest a particular development or logical argument :
[ v ]
The evidence seems to point in that direction.
[ vn ]
The fans are looking to the new players to point the way to victory.
SHOW THE WAY
5.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to show sb which way to go :
I wonder if you could point me in the right direction for the bus station.
A series of yellow arrows pointed the way to reception.
WALL
6.
[ vn ] to put mortar between the bricks of a wall
•
IDIOMS
- point a / the finger (at sb)
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- point sb/sth out (to sb)
- point out (to sb) | point sth out (to sb)
- point to sth
- point sth up
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : the noun partly from Old French point , from Latin punctum something that is pricked, giving rise to the senses unit, mark, point in space or time ; partly from Old French pointe , from Latin puncta pricking, giving rise to the senses sharp tip, promontory . The verb is from Old French pointer , and in some senses from the English noun.