




Different point systems.


(01 Jun 2001)

poikilothrombocyte, poikilothymia, poinciana, poinsettia < Prev | Next > point, point A, pointal


1. That which pricks or pierces; the sharp end of anything, especially. The sharp end of a piercing instrument, as a needle or a pin.





<geometry> Specifically: 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 especially. 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 tenpoints. "A point of precedence." . "Creeping on from point to point." . "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; especially, the proposition to be established; as, the point of an anecdote. "Here lies the point." "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." (Shak) "[He] cared not for God or man a point." (Spenser)



14. One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon.

15. 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. A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. See Reef point, under Reef.

16. A a string or lace used to tie together certain parts of the dress.


18. A switch.





23. A tyne or snag of an antler.

24. One of the spaces on a backgammon board.

25. 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. At point, In point, At, In, or On, the point, as near as can be; on the verge; about (see About, 6); as, at the point of death; he was on the point of speaking. "In point to fall down." . "Caius Sidius Geta, at point to have been taken, recovered himself so valiantly as brought day on his side." . Dead point.

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, or gain, a point, accomplish that which was proposed; also, to make advance by a step, grade, or position. To mark, or 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 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.

Origin: F. Point, and probably also pointe, L. Punctum, puncta, fr. Pungere, punctum, to prick. See Pungent, and cf. Puncto, Puncture.

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." (Shak) "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. <medicine> 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, to sail close to the wind; said of a vessel.

(01 Mar 1998)

poikilothymia, poinciana, poinsettia, point < Prev | Next > point A, pointal, point-and-drool interface
