point Hear it!

point Definition

point (po̵int)

noun

  1. a minute mark or dot
  2. a dot in printing or writing, as a period, decimal point, vowel point, etc.
    1. an element in geometry having definite position, but no size, shape, or extension a line between two points
    2. a particular or precisely specified position, location, place, or spot points on an itinerary
    1. any of certain positions a player is stationed at in cricket, lacrosse, and other games
    2. the player at such a position
  5. a particular time; exact moment the point of death
  6. a stage, condition, level, or degree reached or indicated a boiling point
  7. a particular detail or element; item to explain a problem point by point
    1. a distinguishing feature; characteristic
    2. a physical characteristic or quality of an animal, used as a standard in judging breeding
  9. a unit, as of measurement, value, game scores, etc.
    1. a sharp or projecting end of something; tip
    2. something with a sharp end
  11. needlepoint lace
  12. a projecting or tapering piece of land; promontory; cape
  13. a horse's extremities
  14. a branch of a deer's antler a ten-point buck
    1. the exact or essential fact or idea under consideration
    2. the main idea, striking feature, or effective twist of a joke, story, etc.
  16. a purpose; aim; object; use no point in complaining
    1. an impressive or telling argument, fact, or idea he has a point there
    2. ☆ a helpful hint or suggestion
  18. the posture of a hunting dog to show the presence and position of game
  19. ☆ the number that the thrower must roll again before rolling a seven in order to win in craps
  20. a unit used in rationing commodities, as in time of war
  21. a jeweler's unit of weight, equal to carat a 10-point diamond
  22. Historical a cord with metal tips, used to lace up articles of clothing
  23. Backgammon any of the 24 triangular spaces on the board
  24. Ballet the position of being on the tips of the toes
  25. Boxing a scoring unit used when the bout is not ended by a knockout to win on points
  26. ☆ Educ. a unit used in grading school or college work and figuring a student's academic average a grade of A is worth four points per credit
  27. Elec.
    1. either of the two contacts, tipped with tungsten or platinum, that make or break the circuit in some distributors
    2. Brit. an electrical outlet
  28. Finance
    1. a standard unit of value used in quoting changes in the prices of stocks, bonds, etc.; specif., a $1 change in the price of a stock
    2. a unit equal to one percent a two-point rise in interest rates
    3. an amount equal to one percent; specif., an amount equal to one percent of a loan secured by a mortgage: one or more points may be paid in advance by the borrower
  29. Heraldry any of certain areas on a shield
  30. Mil. a small party before an advance guard or behind a rear guard
  31. Navigation
    1. any of the 32 marks showing direction on the circumference of a compass card
    2. any of the corresponding positions on the horizon
    3. the angle between two successive compass points, equal to 11°
  32. Printing a measuring unit for type bodies and printed matter, equal to about of an inch: there are 12 points in a pica
  33. Railroading, Brit. switch (): usually used in pl.

Etymology: OFr, dot, prick < L punctum, dot, neut. of punctus, pp. of pungere, to prick (< IE base *peuĝ-, *peu, to prick, jab > Ger fichte, spruce tree, L pugil, boxer, pugnus, fist); also < OFr pointe, sharp end < ML puncta < L punctus

transitive verb

    1. to put punctuation marks or pauses in
    2. to put vowel points on (Hebrew characters)
    3. to mark off (sums or numbers) with points, as esp. a decimal fraction from a whole number: with off
  2. to sharpen to a point, as a pencil
  3. to give (a story, remark, anecdote, action, etc.) extra force or special emphasis, as by repetition or elaboration: usually with up
  4. to show or call attention to: usually with out to point the way, to point out a person's shortcomings
  5. to aim or direct (a gun, finger, etc.)
  6. to extend the foot so as to bring (the toe) more nearly in line with the leg
  7. to show the presence and location of (game) by standing still and facing toward it: said of hunting dogs
  8. Masonry to fill or refill and finish the joints of (brickwork or stonework) with mortar: often with up to point up a chimney

intransitive verb

  1. to direct one's finger or the like (at or to something)
  2. to call attention or allude (to something); hint (at something)
  3. to aim or be directed (to or toward something); extend in a specified direction
  4. to point game: said of a hunting dog
  5. Naut. to sail close to the wind

point Related Forms
point′·able adjective
point Idioms

at the point of

very close to; on the verge of

beside the point

not pertinent; irrelevant

in point

appropriate; pertinent; apt a case in point

in point of

in the matter of; as concerns in point of fact

make a point of

  1. to make (something) one's strict rule, habit, or practice
  2. to call special attention to

on the point of

or upon the point of

almost in the act of; on the verge of

stretch a point

or strain a point

to make an exception or concession

to the point

pertinent; apt

point Synonyms

point

n.

  1. A position having no extent

    location, spot, locality; see position 1.

  2. A sharp, tapered end

    end, pointed end, apex, needle point, pin point, barb, prick, spur, spike, tine, nib, snag, spine, claw, tooth, calk, rowel, stabber, sticker, prickler; see also thorn, tip 1.

  3. Anything having a point, sense 2

    sword, dagger, stiletto; see knife, needle 1.

  4. Purpose

    aim, object, intent; see purpose 1.

  5. Meaning

    subject, main idea, force, drift, import, gist; see also meaning.

  6. A time

    period, limit, duration; see time 1.

  7. A detail

    case, feature, point at issue; see circumstance, detail 1.

  8. A tally

    count, notch, mark; see score 1.

at the point of

on the verge of, close to, almost; see near 1.

beside the point

immaterial, not pertinent, not germane; see irrelevant.

come to the point

be brief, speak plainly, cut the matter short, get to the particulars, make a long story short*, get down to brass tacks*, not mince words*, cut to the chase*; see also compress, contract 2, explain.

in point

apt, pertinent, germane; see relevant.

in point of

in the matter of, as concerns, as relevant to; see about 2.

make a point of

stress, emphasize, do as a rule, do on principle, insist upon; see also emphasize.

stretch <strong>or </strong>strain a point

allow, make an exception, concede; see yield 1.

to the point

pertinent, apt, exact; see relevant.

point Synonyms

point

v.

  1. To indicate

    show, name, denote; see designate 1.

  2. To direct

    guide, steer, influence; see lead 1.

  3. To face

    look, aim, tend; see face 4.

  4. To sharpen

    taper, whet, barb; see sharpen 1.

point Finance Definition
A finance charge that is paid up front on mortgages by the borrower. A point is 1 percent of the loan value. For instance, on a $200,000 mortgage, $2,000 is the point the borrower would pay as a finance charge. Points are tax deductible because the money paid is mortgage interest. However, points likely may have to be deducted across the life of the loan.
point Usage Examples

Object

  • finger: That meant everything to us the last thing we needed were people pointing fingers or avoiding us.

Converse of object

  • start: Which brings us back to our starting point: how to deal with the media boycott of these issues.
  • miss: Well, this is true, but talk about missing the point!
  • turn: For me, Torres was the turning point; its elegance, its complexity, its depth, its stackable plastic towers ( !
  • reach: In fact, we're 23 points ahead of the bottom three who all seem unlikely to reach 45 points this season.
  • score: Scoring You score a point for each guess word your team gets correct during your turn.

Adjective modifier

  • focal: The exhibit had at its center a tall focal point, in the shape of a large spiral.
  • key: However, key points relevant to medical treatment should be recorded in the custody record itself.
  • main: OK, to the main point of attention: RICHARD!
  • single: Currently a single point behind Hendon, Sutton are the second most prolific goal scorers in the league behind Canvey.
  • important: Learner time can often be wasted on less important points.

Noun used with modifier

  • percentage: Percentage points reduced with married highly washington dc national with a percentage.
  • vantage: It is an excellent vantage point with spectacular views across the sea to the Isle of Wight.
  • bullet: Mostly in bullet points, it gets to the heart of the issue in a few words.
  • selling: It will be a valuable selling point in attracting new members.
  • bonus: Every time you make a purchase, you will collect bonus points.
  • reference: A cross reference points directly to any remote naming context.

Preposition: of

  • view: From my personal point of view, I wish they hadn't.
  • contact: The Europa web site provides a point of contact for European Institutions.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • out: You should have a basic box shape with four wings pointing out at each corner.
point Quotes

My uncle was famous for his balanced point of view. At the time of which I am writing (when he was nearly seventy) it had become so balanced, that the act of balancing seemed rather automatic.One had only to offer him an opinion for him to balance it with a counter- opinion of exactly the same weight, as a grocer puts a pound weight against a pound of sugar.

—Spender, Sir Stephen Harold

People talk about the conscience, but it seems to me one must just bring it up to a certain point and leave it there.You can let your conscience alone if you're nice to the second housemaid.

—James, Henry

Science moves, but slowly slowly, creeping on from point to point.

—Tennyson

Any man may be in good spirits and good temper when he's well dressed. There an't much credit in that. If I was very ragged and very jolly, then I should begin to feel I had gained a point, Mr. Pinch.

—Dickens, CharlesJohn Huffam

Ist es schwer und kann es ein AuÞenseiter begreifen,dass man eine Geschichte von ihrem Anfang in sich erlebt, vom fernen Punkt bis zu der heranfahrenden Lokomotive aus Stahl, Kohl und Dampf, sie aber auchjetzt noch nicht verl a« sst, sondern von ihr gejagt wird und aus eigenem Schwung vor ihr l a« uft, wohin sie nur st o« Þt und wohin man sie lockt. It is so difficult and can an outsider understand that you experience a story within yourself from its beginning, fromthe distant point up to theapproaching locomotive of steel, coal and steam, and you don't abandon it even now, but want to be pursued by it and have time for it, therefore are pursued by it and of your own volition run before it wherever it may thrust and wherever you may lure it.

—Kafka, Franz

Six percent unemployment only looks good from the vantage point of the other 94 percent.

—Passell, Peter

Observation is always selective. It needs a chosen object, a definite task, an interest, a point of view, a problem.

—Popper, Sir Karl Raimund

Efficiency†is measured at the extremities.You do not find the efficiency of an army at headquarters, nor of a firminhead office.It isattheremotest pointötheprivate soldier or humble legionary on the distant frontier, the girl at the counter or the branch-office junior salesman öthat the really decisive test of an army or a firm is made.It istherethat all theinstructionand knowledge of relevant facts and procedural disciplines bear fruitöor wither on the tree.

—Jay, SirAntony Rupert

Every one is more or less mad on one point.

—Kipling, (Joseph) Rudyard

You've missed the point completely, Julia: There were no tigers. That was the point.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Good old Watson! You are the one fixed point in a changing age.

—Doyle, SirArthur Conan

If we knew all the laws of Nature, we should need only one fact, or the description of one actual phenomenon, to infer all the particular results at that point. Now we know onlya few laws, and our result is vitiated, not, of course, byany confusion or irregularity in Nature, but by our ignorance of essential elements in the calculation. Our notions of law and harmony are commonly confined to those instances which we detect; but the harmony which results from a far greater number of seemingly conflicting, but reallyconcurring, laws, which Thoreau we have not detected, is still more wonderful. The particular laws are as our points of view, as, to the traveler, a mountain outline varies with every step, and it has an infinite number of profiles, though absolutely but one form. Even when cleft or bored through it is not comprehended in its entireness.

—Thoreau, Henry David

   Was there ever in anyone's life span a point free in time, devoid of memory, a night when choice was any more than the sum of all the choices gone before?

—Didion,Joan

But could we not reach the point of highest perfection in a new kind of art, in this art of landscape, and perhaps reach a higher beauty than existed before?

—Runge, Philipp Otto

   It is impossible to repeat in one period what was done in another.The pointof view isnotthesame, anymorethan are the tools, the ideals, the needs, or the painters' techniques.

—Renoir, Pierre Auguste

He stood, a point on a sheet of green paper proclaiming himself the center, with no walls, no borders anywhere; the sky no height above him, totally un- enclosed and shouted: Let me out!

—Atwood, Margaret Eleanor

We cannot bring ourselves to believe it possible that a foreigner should in any respect be wiser than ourselves. If any such point out to us our follies, we at once claim those follies as the special evidence of our wisdom.

—Trollope, Anthony

Lords and Commons of England, consider what nation it is whereof ye are, and whereof ye are the governors: a nation not slow and dull, but of a quick, ingenious, and piercing spirit, acute to invent, subtle and sinewy to discourse,not beneaththereachofany pointthehighest that human capacity can soar to.

—Milton,John

   I have now reached the point where I can look over the great art of antiquityand its Renaissance.But, for myself, I cannot find anyartistic connection with ourown times. And to want to create something outside of one's own age strikes me as suspect.

—Klee, Paul

At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless; Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is, But neither arrest nor movement.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

After the kingfisher's wing Has answered light to light, and is silent, the light is still At the still point of the turning world.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Dieu est le point tangent de ze¤  ro et de l'infini. God is the tangential point of zero and the infinite.

—Jarry, Alfred