! point - The Dictionary

point (point)n.1. A sharp or tapered end: the point of a knife; the point of the antenna.2. An object having a sharp or tapered end: a stone projectile point.3. A tapering extension of land projecting into water; a peninsula, cape, or promontory.4. A mark formed by or as if by a sharp end.5. A mark or dot used in printing or writing for punctuation, especially a period.6. A decimal point.7. Linguistics A vowel point.8. One of the protruding marks used in certain methods of writing and printing for the blind.9. Mathematics a. A dimensionless geometric object having no properties except location.b. An element in a geometrically described set.10. a. A place or locality considered with regard to its position: connections to Chicago and points west.b. A narrowly particularized and localized position or place; a spot: The troops halted at a point roughly 1,000 yards from the river.11. A specified degree, condition, or limit, as in a scale or course: the melting point of a substance.12. a. Any of the 32 equal divisions marked at the circumference of a mariner’s compass card that indicate direction.b. The interval of 11°15? between any two adjacent markings.13. a. A distinct condition or degree: finally reached the point of exhaustion.b. The interval of time immediately before a given occurrence; the verge: on the point of resignation; at the point of death.14. A specific moment in time: At this point, we are ready to proceed.15. An objective or purpose to be reached or achieved, or one that is worth reaching or achieving: What is the point of discussing this issue further?16. The major idea or essential part of a concept or narrative: You have missed the whole point of the novel.17. A significant, outstanding, or effective idea, argument, or suggestion: Your point is well taken.18. A separate, distinguishing item or element; a detail: Diplomacy is certainly not one of his strong points. Your weak point is your constant need for approval.19. A quality or characteristic that is important or distinctive, especially a standard characteristic used to judge an animal.20. A single unit, as in counting, rating, or measuring.21. a. A unit of academic credit usually equal to one hour of class work per week during one semester.b. A numerical unit of academic achievement equal to a letter grade.22. Sports & Games A unit of scoring or counting.23. a. A unit equal to one dollar, used to quote or state variations in the current prices of stocks or commodities.b. A unit equal to one percent, used to quote or state interest rates or shares in gross profits.24. One percent of the total principal of a loan, paid up front to the lender and considered separately from the interest.25. Music A phrase, such as a fugue subject, in contrapuntal music.26. Printing A unit of type size equal to 0.01384 inch, or approximately 1/72 of an inch.27. A jeweler’s unit of weight equal to 2 milligrams or 0.01 carat.28. a. The act or an instance of pointing.b. The stiff and attentive stance taken by a hunting dog.29. a. A reconnaissance or patrol unit that moves ahead of an advance party or guard, or that follows a rear guard.b. The position occupied by such a unit or guard: A team of Rangers were walking point at the outset of the operation.30. Sports a. Either of two positions in ice hockey just inside the offensive zone near the boards, usually assumed by defenders attempting to keep the puck in the offensive zone.b. Basketball A position in the forecourt beyond the top of the key, usually taken by the point guard.c. In women’s lacrosse, a defensive player who marks the opponent playing nearest to the goal (the first home).31. a. An electrical contact, especially one in the distributor of an automobile engine.b. Chiefly British An electrical socket or outlet.32. points The extremities of an animal, such as a cat or horse, especially when they differ in color from the rest of the coat.33. a. A movable rail, tapered at the end, such as that used in a railroad switch.b. The vertex of the angle created by the intersection of rails in a frog or switch.34. A ribbon or cord with a metal tag at the end, used to fasten clothing in the 16th and 17th centuries.v. point·ed, point·ing, points v.tr.1. To direct or aim: point a weapon. See Synonyms at aim.2. To bring (something) to notice: pointed out an error in their reasoning.3. To indicate the position or direction of: pointed out the oldest buildings on the skyline.4. To sharpen (a pencil, for example); provide with a point.5. To separate with decimal points: pointing off the hundredths place in a column of figures.6. To mark (text) with points; punctuate.7. Linguistics To mark (a consonant) with a vowel point.8. To give emphasis to; stress: comments that simply point up flawed reasoning.9. To indicate the presence and position of (game) by standing immobile and directing the muzzle toward it. Used of a hunting dog.10. To fill and finish the joints of (masonry) with cement or mortar.v.intr.1. To direct attention or indicate position with or as if with the finger.2. To turn the mind or thought in a particular direction or to a particular conclusion: All indications point to an early spring.3. To be turned or faced in a given direction; aim.4. To indicate the presence and position of game. Used of a hunting dog.5. Nautical To sail close to the wind.Idioms: beside the point Irrelevant to the matter at hand. in point Having relevance or pertinence. in point of With reference to; in the matter of: In point of fact, I never lived at the address stated on the form. make a point of To consider or treat (an action or activity) as indispensable: made a point of visiting their niece on the way home. stretch a point To make an exception. to the point Concerning or with relevance to the matter at hand: remarks that were to the point; rambled and would not speak to the point.[Middle English, partly from Old French point, prick, mark, moment (from Vulgar Latin *punctum, from Latin p?nctum, from neuter past participle of pungere, to prick) and partly from Old French pointe, sharp end (from Vulgar Latin *puncta, from Latin p?ncta, from feminine past participle of pungere, to prick; see peuk- in Indo-European roots).]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.point (p??nt) n1. a dot or tiny mark2. a location, spot, or position3. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) any dot or mark used in writing or printing, such as a decimal point or a full stop4. (Letters of the Alphabet (Foreign)) short for vowel point5. the sharp tapered end of a pin, knife, etc6. (Tools) a pin, needle, or other object having such a point7. (Mathematics) maths a. a geometric element having no dimensions and whose position in space is located by means of its coordinatesb. a location: point of inflection. 8. (Physical Geography) a promontory, usually smaller than a cape9. a specific condition or degree10. a moment: at that point he left the room. 11. an important or fundamental reason, aim, etc: the point of this exercise is to train new teachers. 12. an essential element or thesis in an argument: you’ve made your point; I take your point. 13. a suggestion or tip14. a detail or item15. an important or outstanding characteristic, physical attribute, etc: he has his good points. 16. (Zoology) a distinctive characteristic or quality of an animal, esp one used as a standard in judging livestock17. (Zoology) (often plural) any of the extremities, such as the tail, ears, or feet, of a domestic animal18. (Ballet) ballet (often plural) the tip of the toes19. (General Sporting Terms) a single unit for measuring or counting, as in the scoring of a game20. (Australian Rules Football) Australian rules football an informal name for behind1121. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) printing a unit of measurement equal to one twelfth of a pica, or approximately 0.01384 inch. There are approximately 72 points to the inch22. (Banking & Finance) finance a. a unit of value used to quote security and commodity prices and their fluctuationsb. a percentage unit sometimes payable by a borrower as a premium on a loan23. (Navigation) nautical a. one of the 32 marks on the circumference of a compass card indicating directionb. the angle of 11°15? between two adjacent marksc. a point on the horizon indicated by such a mark24. (Cricket) cricket a. a fielding position at right angles to the batsman on the off side and relatively near the pitchb. a fielder in this position25. (Gambling, except Cards) any of the numbers cast in the first throw in craps with which one neither wins nor loses by throwing them: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 1026. (Automotive Engineering) either of the two electrical contacts that make or break the current flow in the distributor of an internal-combustion engine27. (Railways) (often plural) Brit a junction of railway tracks in which a pair of rails can be moved so that a train can be directed onto either of two lines. US and Canadian equivalent: switch 28. (Historical Terms) (often plural) a piece of ribbon, cord, etc, with metal tags at the end: used during the 16th and 17th centuries to fasten clothing29. (Games, other than specified) backgammon a place or position on the board30. (Electrical Engineering) a. short for power pointb. an informal name for socket231. (Military) an aggressive position adopted in bayonet or sword drill32. (Military) military the position at the head of a body of troops, or a person in this position33. (Hunting) the position of the body of a pointer or setter when it discovers game34. (Boxing) boxing a mark awarded for a scoring blow, knockdown, etc35. (Linguistics) any diacritic used in a writing system, esp in a phonetic transcription, to indicate modifications of vowels or consonants36. (Jewellery) jewellery a unit of weight equal to 0.01 carat37. the act of pointing38. (Hockey (Field & Ice)) ice hockey the position just inside the opponents’ blue line39. beside the point not pertinent; irrelevant40. case in point a specific, appropriate, or relevant instance or example41. in point of in the matter of; regarding42. make a point of a. to make (something) one’s regular habitb. to do (something) because one thinks it important43. not to put too fine a point on it to speak plainly and bluntly44. on the point of at the point of at the moment immediately before a specified condition, action, etc, is expected to begin: on the point of leaving the room. 45. score points off to gain an advantage at someone else’s expense46. stretch a point a. to make a concession or exception not usually madeb. to exaggerate47. to the point pertinent; relevant48. up to a point not completelyvb49. (usually foll by: at or to) to indicate the location or direction of by or as by extending (a finger or other pointed object) towards it: he pointed to the front door; don’t point that gun at me. 50. (intr; usually foll by at or to) to indicate or identify a specific person or thing among several: he pointed at the bottle he wanted; all evidence pointed to Donald as the murderer. 51. (tr) to direct or cause to go or face in a specific direction or towards a place or goal: point me in the right direction. 52. (tr) to sharpen or taper53. (Hunting) (intr) (of gun dogs) to indicate the place where game is lying by standing rigidly with the muzzle turned in its direction54. (Building) (tr) to finish or repair the joints of (brickwork, masonry, etc) with mortar or cement55. (Music, other) (tr) music to mark (a psalm text) with vertical lines to indicate the points at which the music changes during chanting56. (Nautical Terms) to steer (a sailing vessel) close to the wind or (of a sailing vessel) to sail close to the wind57. (Linguistics) (tr) phonetics to provide (a letter or letters) with diacritics58. (Linguistics) (tr) to provide (a Hebrew or similar text) with vowel points[C13: from Old French: spot, from Latin punctum a point, from pungere to pierce; also influenced by Old French pointe pointed end, from Latin pungere]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014point (p??nt) n. 1. a sharp or tapering end, as of a dagger. 2. a projecting part of anything: a point of land. 3. something having a sharp or tapering end (often used in combination): a penpoint. 4. something that has position but not extension, as the intersection of two lines. 5. a. period (def. 6). b. an embossed dot used in printing for the blind. 6. See under decimal fraction. 7. a pointed tool or instrument, as an etching needle. 8. any of 32 separate horizontal directions on a compass, 11° 15~ apart. 9. a degree or stage: frankness to the point of insult. 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. 13. an individual part or element of something: noble points in her character. 14. a distinguishing mark or quality of an animal, used as a standard in stockbreeding, judging, etc. 15. a diacritic, as a dot or line, indicating a vowel or modification of a sound in a writing system. 16. a stone implement with a tapering end found in some Middle and Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic industries, used primarily for hunting. 17. points, a. the extremities of an animal, esp. a horse, dog, or cat. b. 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. points, Brit. a railroad switch. 19. a unit of count in the score of a game. 20. (in craps) the number that must be thrown to win but not including 7 or 11 on the first roll. 21. Ice Hockey. either of two positions, to the right or left of the goal, to which an attacking defenseman is assigned. 22. Basketball. a position in the rear of the front court, usu. taken by the point guard. 23. Cricket. the position of the fielder who plays in front of and to the offside of the batsman. 24. Chiefly Boxing. the end or tip of the chin. 25. 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. 27. Educ. a credit hour. 28. a. a unit of price quotation, as, in the U.S., one dollar in stock transactions. b. 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. Jewelry. a unit of weight equal to 1/100 of a carat. 30. Mil. a. a patrol that goes ahead of the advance party, or, sometimes, follows the rear party. b. point man. 31. Print. a unit of type measurement equal to 0.013835 inch (1/72 inch), or 1/12 pica. 32. a unit of measure of paper or card thickness, equal to 1/1000 of an inch. 33. point lace. 34. one of the divisions of a heraldic shield by which the position of a charge is determined. 35. the act of pointing. 36. Archaic. a tagged ribbon or cord, formerly much used in dress, as for tying or fastening parts. v.t. 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. 39. to direct attention to (usu. fol. by out): to point out advantages. 40. to furnish with a point; sharpen. 41. to mark with points, dots, or the like. 42. 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. 45. (of a hunting dog) to indicate the presence and location of (game) by standing rigid and facing toward the game. 46. Masonry. to fill the joints of (brickwork, stonework, etc.) with new mortar or cement. v.i. 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. 49. to aim. 50. to have or signify a tendency toward something: Conditions point to inflation. 51. (of a hunting dog) to point game. 52. Naut. to sail close to the wind. Idioms: 1. beside the point, irrelevant. 2. in point, pertinent; applicable: a case in point. 3. in point of, as regards; in reference to: in point of fact. 4. make a point of, to regard as important; insist upon. 5. on or at the point of, on the verge of; close to. 6. strain or stretch a point, to make a concession or exception. 7. to the point, relevant. [1175?1225; Middle English point(e) A point is something you say that expresses an idea, opinion, or fact.A point is also an aspect or detail of something, or a part of a person’s character.The point is the most important fact in a situation.The point of doing something is the reason for doing it.If you say that there is no point in doing something, you mean that it has no purpose or will not achieve anything.Be Careful!Don’t say ‘there is no point to do’ something or ‘it is no point in doing’ something.4. ‘full stop’Don’t refer to the punctuation mark (.) which comes at the end of a sentence as a ‘point’. In British English, it is called a full stop. In American English, it is called a period.