Pronunciations
-
/pɔɪnt/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
- UK
Noun
A small dot or mark. Something tiny, as a pinprick; a very small mark.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
The stars showed as tiny points of yellow light.
A small dot or mark. A full stop or other terminal punctuation mark.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
Commas and points they set exactly right.
A small dot or mark. A decimal point (now especially when reading decimal fractions aloud).
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
10.5 is "ten point five", or ten and a half.
0.375 cm is nought point three seven five of a centimeter.
A small dot or mark. Each of the marks or strokes written above letters, especially in Semitic languages, to indicate vowels, stress etc.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A small dot or mark. A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time. In ancient music, it distinguished or characterized certain tones or styles (points of perfection, of augmentation, etc.). In modern music, it is placed on the right of a note to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A small dot or mark. A note; a tune.
Usage- broadly
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
Sound the trumpet — not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war.
A small dot or mark. A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions; something considered to have position but no magnitude or direction.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. An individual element in a larger whole; a particular detail, thought, or quality.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The Congress debated the finer points of the bill.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A particular moment in an event or occurrence; a juncture.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up.
At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. Condition, state.
Usage- Archaic
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
She was not feeling in good point.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A topic of discussion or debate; a proposition; a count.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I made the point that we all had an interest to protect.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer.
Usage- US usage
- Countable
- Dated
- Slang
- Uncountable
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A focus of conversation or consideration; the main idea.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
The point is that we should stay together, whatever happens.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A purpose or objective, which makes something meaningful.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
Near-synonyms: meaning, meaningfulness, use
Since the decision has already been made, I see little point in further discussion.
More examples (3)
I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.
But I love you / More than I wanted to / There's no point in trying to pretend
We're all gonna die What's the point in life What's the point in life if we all die?
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. The smallest quantity of something; a jot, a whit.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
full large of limbe and euery ioint / He was, and cared not for God or man a point.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A tiny amount of time; a moment.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
When time's first point begun / Made he all souls.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A specific location or place, seen as a spatial position.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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We should meet at a pre-arranged point.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A distinguishing quality or characteristic.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Logic isn't my strong point.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. The chief or excellent features.
Usage- Countable
- Dated
- in-plural
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
the points of a horse
More examples (1)
Knowledge was always useful, and he had frequently heard the words 'Great Portland Street' on the lips of his son, who regularly perused all the twelve automobilistic papers, and who was apparently the most learned pundit and inclusive encyclopædia ever created on the subject of petrol-driven vehicles, their prices, and their innumerable points.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. An area of contrasting colour on an animal, especially a dog; a marking.
Usage- Countable
- plural-normally
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A tenth; formerly also a twelfth.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Possession is nine points of the law.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A unit of scoring in a game or competition.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The one with the most points will win the game.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A unit of various numerical parameters used in a game, e.g. health, experience, stamina, mana.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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This attack deals 320 points of damage.
Defeating the boss grants 60 experience points.
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A unit used to express differences in prices of stocks and shares.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era).
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. An electric power socket.
Usage- UK usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. A unit of measure for rain, equal to 0.254 mm or 0.01 of an inch.
Usage- UK usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
A small discrete division or individual feature of something. Either of the two metal surfaces in a distributor which close or open to allow or prevent the flow of current through the ignition coil. There is usually a moving point, pushed by the distributor cam, and a fixed point, and they are built together as a unit.
Usage- Countable
- in-plural
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. The sharp tip of an object.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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Cut the skin with the point of the knife.
Leaue words & let them feele your lances pointes
A sharp extremity. Any projecting extremity of an object.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. An object which has a sharp or tapering tip.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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His cowboy belt was studded with points.
A sharp extremity. An object which has a sharp or tapering tip. A spearhead or similar object hafted to a handle.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
Solutrean points resemble the canines of the sabre-toothed cats.
A sharp extremity. An object which has a sharp or tapering tip. A vaccine point.
Usage- Countable
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. Each of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. A peninsula or promontory.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Willie Jones decided to become Kimani Jones, Black Panther, on the day his best friend, Otis Nicholson, stepped on a mine while walking point during a sweep in the central highlands.
A sharp extremity. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force. An operational or public leadership position in a risky endeavor.
Usage- broadly
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
"When do we pull the trigger?" he asked. I was quick to respond, "If Tammy get's Mrs. Wellington to agree, she'll call you in a couple hours. Then just pull out all stops. Tammy has point on this, I don't want to hear from you unless it's an all clear."
The president’s senior policy adviser, Stephen Miller, has been point on immigration policy.
He captained Regis High School’s 1958 squad, but now runs point on infectious diseases.
More examples (1)
Instead of one point-person taking all the parents’ questions, WPSD has “put together coaches and ambassadors to handle calls so one person doesn’t have to handle 2,500 calls,” Woolf said.
A sharp extremity. Each of the main directions on a compass, usually considered to be 32 in number; a direction.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. The difference between two points of the compass; a unit of bearing equal to one thirty-second of a circle, i.e. 11.25°.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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to fall off a point
Ship ahoy, three points off the starboard bow!
A sharp extremity. Pointedness of speech or writing; a penetrating or decisive quality of expression.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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There was moreover a hint of the duchess in the infinite point with which, as she felt, she exclaimed: "And this is what you call coming often?"
And with an emphatic nod to give point to her self-possession Mrs. Larch vanished.
A sharp extremity. A railroad switch.
Usage- UK usage
- Countable
- in-plural
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. A tine or snag of an antler.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. One of the “corners” of the escutcheon: the base (bottom center) unless a qualifier is added (point dexter, point dexter base, point sinister, point sinister base), generally when separately tinctured. (Compare terrace, point champaine, enté en point.)
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A sharp extremity. An ordinary similar to a pile (but sometimes shorter), extending upward from the base. (Often termed a point pointed.)
Usage- broadly
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
The point, according to Edmondson, (meaning the point pointed,) is an ordinary somewhat resembling the pile, issuing from the base, as in Plate VII. fig. 24, and is sometimes termed a base point pointed, but the word base is superfluous, as that is the proper place of the point;[…]
The act of pointing. The act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The act of pointing. The gesture of extending the index finger in a direction in order to indicate something.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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[…] DCDP children are exposed to more points and gesturelike signs in their linguistic environment […]
The act of pointing. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The dog came to a point.
The act of pointing. The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The act of pointing. A movement executed with the sabre or foil.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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tierce point
A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A string or lace used to tie together certain garments.
Usage- Countable
- Historical
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
pick your purse while they tie your points, and cut your throat while they smooth your pillow
Lace worked by the needle.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
-
point de Venise; Brussels point
And I to make all knovv, I am not ſhallovv, / VVill have my points of Cucchineale and yellovv.
More examples (1)
He wore a garb rather fanciful, of a silver-grey colour, trimmed with crimson, and a narrow edging of silver; the lace round his throat was of the finest point; […]
In various sports, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player occupying that position. A fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
In various sports, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player occupying that position. The position of the player of each side who stands a short distance in front of the goalkeeper.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
In various sports, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player occupying that position. The position of the pitcher and catcher.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
In various sports, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player occupying that position. A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Interjection
Point taken; understood; got it.
Verb
To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
It's rude to point at other people.
Now must the world point at poor Katharine.
More examples (2)
Point at the tattered coat and ragged shoe.
Luiz struggled with the movement of Helguson in the box, as he collected a long ball and the Spaniard barged him over, leaving referee Chris Foy little option but to point to the spot.
To draw attention to something or indicate a direction.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
The arrow of a compass points north
The skis were pointing uphill.
More examples (2)
The arrow on the map points towards the entrance
In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.
To face in a particular direction.
Usage- Intransitive
To direct toward an object; to aim.
Usage- Figurative
- sometimes
- Transitive
- Examples
-
to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort
More examples (1)
Mr. Fitzsimons pointed my attention to an outside car on which was written, "Take warning," or something of that kind, and he pointed that out to me, and drew my attention to it, as a thing likely to intimidate […]
To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end.
- Examples
-
to point a dart, a pencil, or (figuratively) a moral
To indicate a probability of something.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Tens of thousands of Portuguese, Greek and Irish people have left their homelands this year, many heading for the southern hemisphere. Anecdotal evidence points to the same happening in Spain and Italy.
To repair mortar.
Usage- Transitive or intransitive
To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.
Usage- Transitive
To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool.
- Examples
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Damaged stone will be removed, and the new stone installed and pointed to ensure a comprehensive match to maintain the integrity of the structure.
To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
-
If he asks for food, point him toward the refrigerator.
Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them.
To separate an integer from a decimal with a decimal point.
Usage- Transitive
To mark with diacritics.
Usage- Transitive
To mark (e.g. an Anglican psalm) with pointing.
Usage- Transitive
To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate.
Usage- Dated
- Examples
-
to point a composition
To direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory.
Usage- Transitive
To direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name.
Usage- Internet
- Transitive
To sail close to the wind.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
Bear off a little, we're pointing.
To indicate the presence of game by a fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
-
Novv the vvarm Scent aſſures the Covey near, / He [the dog] treads vvith Caution, and he points vvith Fear; […]
More examples (2)
The writer from whom we derive the following legends tells us that he knew an old man whose dog had pointed a troop of fairies, and though he could not see them he plainly heard their music sounding like a fiddle and a very small pair of pipes.
He says he found him, not a hour ago, under a clump in Birling Wood, because his own dog knew there was something there and as good as said so. I thought it sounded queer too, mum, but Mr. Batts did say that his dog stood and pointed at the bush and there when he looked was Nipper.
To approximate to the surface; to head.
Usage- of an abscess
To give point to (something said or done); to give particular prominence or force to.
Usage- Dated
- Examples
-
He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech.
‘Oh, it is the great defect in our Indian character!’ – and, as if to point his criticism, the lights of the Civil Station appeared on a rise to the right.
Verb
To appoint.
Usage- Obsolete
- Examples
-
And he, that points the Centinel his room, Doth license him depart at sound of morning Droom.
Noun
a geometric element that has position but no extension
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
a point is defined by its coordinates
the precise location of something; a spatially limited location
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
she walked to a point where she could survey the whole street
a brief version of the essential meaning of something
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
get to the point
he missed the point of the joke
More examples (1)
life has lost its point
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
several of the details are similar
a point of information
a specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
a remarkable degree of frankness
at what stage are the social sciences?
an instant of time
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
at that point I had to leave
the object of an activity
- Examples
-
what is the point of discussing it?
a V shape
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
the cannibal's teeth were filed to sharp points
a very small circular shape
- Synonyms
- Examples
-
a row of points
draw lines between the dots
the unit of counting in scoring a game or contest
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
he scored 20 points in the first half
a touchdown counts 6 points
a promontory extending out into a large body of water
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
they sailed south around the point
a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
he noticed an item in the New York Times
she had several items on her shopping list
More examples (1)
the main point on the agenda was taken up first
a style in speech or writing that arrests attention and has a penetrating or convincing quality or effect
an outstanding characteristic
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
his acting was one of the high points of the movie
sharp end
- Examples
-
he stuck the point of the knife into a tree
he broke the point of his pencil
any of 32 horizontal directions indicated on the card of a compass
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
he checked the point on his compass
a linear unit used to measure the size of type; approximately 1/72 inch
- Broader terms
one percent of the total principal of a loan; it is paid at the time the loan is made and is independent of the interest on the loan
- Broader terms
a punctuation mark (‘.’) placed at the end of a declarative sentence to indicate a full stop or after abbreviations
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
in England they call a period a ‘stop’
a V-shaped mark at one end of an arrow pointer
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
the point of the arrow was due north
the dot at the left of a decimal fraction
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
the property of a shape that tapers to a sharp tip
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
a distinguishing or individuating characteristic
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
he knows my bad points as well as my good points
the gun muzzle's direction
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
he held me up at the point of a gun
a wall socket
- Synonyms
a contact in the distributor; as the rotor turns its projecting arm contacts them and current flows to the spark plugs
- Synonyms
Verb
indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
I showed the customer the glove section
He pointed to the empty parking space
More examples (1)
he indicated his opponents
be oriented
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
The weather vane points North
the dancers toes pointed outward
direct into a position for use
- Examples
-
point a gun
He charged his weapon at me
direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
be a signal for or a symptom of
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
These symptoms indicate a serious illness
Her behavior points to a severe neurosis
More examples (1)
The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued
sail close to the wind
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
mark (Hebrew words) with diacritics
mark with diacritics
- Examples
-
point the letter
mark (a psalm text) to indicate the points at which the music changes
be positionable in a specified manner
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
The gun points with ease
intend (something) to move towards a certain goal
- Examples
-
He aimed his fists towards his opponent's face
criticism directed at her superior
More examples (1)
direct your anger towards others, not towards yourself
indicate the presence of (game) by standing and pointing with the muzzle
- Examples
-
the dog pointed the dead duck
give a point to
- Broader terms
- Examples
-
The candles are tapered
repair the joints of bricks
- Synonyms
- Examples
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point a chimney