[point] n [ME, partly fr. OF, puncture, small spot, point in time or space, fr. L punctum, fr. neut. of punctus, pp. of pungere to prick; partly fr. OF pointe sharp end, fr. (assumed) VL puncta, fr. L, fem. of punctus, pp.--more at pungent] (13c) 1 a (1): an individual detail: item (2): a distinguishing detail "tact is one of her strong ~s" b: the most important essential in a discussion or matter "missed the whole ~ of the joke" c: cogency
2. obs: physical condition
3: an end or object to be achieved: purpose "did not see what ~ there was in continuing the discussion"
4. a (1): a geometric element of which it is postulated that at least two exist and that two suffice to determine a line (2): a geometric element determined by an ordered set of coordinates b (1): a narrowly localized place having a precisely indicated position "walked to a ~ 50 yards north of the building" (2): a particular place: locality "have come from distant ~s" c (1): an exact moment "at this ~ I was interrupted" (2): a time interval immediately before something indicated: verge "at the ~ of death" d (1): a particular step, stage, or degree in development "had reached the ~ where nothing seemed to matter anymore" (2): a definite position in a scale
5. a: the terminal usu. sharp or narrowly rounded part of something: tip b: a weapon or tool having such a part and used for stabbing or piercing: as (1): arrowhead (2): spearhead c (1): the contact or discharge extremity of an electric device (as a spark plug or distributor) (2) chiefly Brit: an electric outlet
6. a: a projecting usu. tapering piece of land or a sharp prominence b (1): the tip of a projecting body part (2): tine
2. (3) pl: the extremities or markings of the extremities of an animal esp. when of a color differing from the rest of the body c (1): a railroad switch (2): the tip of the angle between two rails in a railroad frog d: the head of the bow of a stringed instrument 7: a short musical phrase; esp: a phrase in contrapuntal music
8. a: a very small mark b (1): punctuation mark; esp: period (2): decimal point 9: a lace for tying parts of a garment together used esp. in the 16th and 17th centuries 10: one of usu. 11 divisions of a heraldic shield that determines the position of a charge 11 a: one of the 32 equidistant spots of a compass card b: the difference of 11 1/4 degrees between two such successive points 12: a small detachment ahead of an advance guard or behind a rear guard 13 a: needlepoint 1 b: lace made with a bobbin 14: one of 12 s : irrelevant -- in point of : with regard to: in the matter of "in point of law" "in point of fact" -- to the point : relevant, pertinent "a suggestion that was to the point"
[2]point vt (14c) 1 a: to furnish with a point: sharpen "~ing a pencil with a knife" b: to give added force, emphasis, or piquancy to "~ up a remark"
2: to scratch out the old mortar from the joints of (as a brick wall) and fill in with new material 3 a (1): to mark the pauses or grammatical divisions in: punctuate (2): to separate (a decimal fraction) from an integer by a decimal point--usu. used with off b: to mark (as Hebrew words) with diacritics (as vowel points)
4. a (1): to indicate the position or direction of esp. by extending a finger "~ the way home" (2): to direct someone's attention to "~ the way to new knowledge --Elizabeth Hall"--usu. used with out or up "~ out a mistake" "~s up the difference" b of a hunting dog: to indicate the presence and place of (game) by a point
5. a: to cause to be turned in a particular direction "~ a gun" "~ed the boat upstream" b: to extend (a leg) and arch (the foot) in executing a point in dancing ~ vi 1 a: to indicate the fact or probability of something specified "everything ~s to a bright future" b: to indicate the position or direction of something esp. by extending a finger "~ at the map" c: to direct attention "can ~ with pride to their own traditions" d: to point game "a dog that ~s well"
2. a: to lie extended, aimed, or turned in a particular direction "a directional arrow that ~ed to the north" b: to execute a point in dancing 3 of a ship: to sail close to the wind
4: to train for a particular contest