at the point of


a sharp or tapering end, as of a dagger.
a tapering extremity: the points of the fingers.
something having a sharp or tapering end: a pen point.
a pointed tool or instrument, as an etching needle.
a mark of punctuation.
period ( def 15 ).
See under decimal fraction.
Nautical, point of sailing.
a degree or stage: frankness to the point of insult.
the important or essential thing: the point of the matter.
a hint or suggestion: points on getting a job.
the extremities of an animal, especially a horse or dog.
Railroads, British. a switch.
a single unit, as in counting.
the fielder playing this position.
the position taken by a hunting dog in pointing game.
Sports. a cross-country run.
one of the narrow tapering spaces marked on a backgammon board.
British. an outlet or socket.
(especially in motion pictures) a percentage point, usually of the gross profits, granted to someone who agrees to invest or otherwise participate in a business project: The star of the movie received a million dollar guarantee and five points.
the stroke in bayonet drill or combat.
a unit of type measurement in the U.S. and U.K. equal to 1/72 inch, or 1/12 pica. Compare Didot point system.
any lace made by hand.
Heraldry. one of the pendent parts of a label.
act of pointing.
Obsolete. an end or conclusion.
Obsolete. a pointed weapon, as a dagger.
Obsolete, condition.
verb (used with object)
to indicate the presence or position of (usually followed by out ): to point out an object in the sky.
to direct attention to (usually followed by out ): to point out the advantages of a proposal.
to punctuate, as writing.
Phonetics. to mark (letters) with points.
to give greater or added force to (often followed by up ): to point up the necessity for caution.
to dress (a stone) with a point.
verb (used without object)
to indicate position or direction, as with the finger.
to aim.
to have a specified direction: The sign pointed west.
to face in a particular direction, as a building.
Hunting. (of a hunting dog) to point game.
Nautical. to sail close to the wind.
(of an abscess) to come to a head.
at/on/upon the point of, on the verge of; close to: on the point of death.
at this point in time, now; at this precise moment in history: At this point in time the president believes peace has been achieved.
in point, that is pertinent; applicable: a case in point.
in point of, as regards; in reference to: in point of fact.
make a point of, to regard as important; insist upon: She made a point of complimenting her friend's apartment.
make points with, Informal. to curry favor with: to make points with one's boss. Also, make Brownie points with.
to the point, pertinent; fitting: The reply was short and to the point.


multipoint, adjective
underpoint, noun
underpoint, verb (used without object) Unabridged
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World English Dictionary
point (pɔɪnt)
1.  a dot or tiny mark
2.  a location, spot, or position
3.  any dot or mark used in writing or printing, such as a decimal point or a full stop
4.  short for vowel point
5.  the sharp tapered end of a pin, knife, etc
6.  a pin, needle, or other object having such a point
7.  maths
 b.  a location: point of inflection
8.  a promontory, usually smaller than a cape
9.  a specific condition or degree
10.  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 tip
14.  a detail or item
15.  an important or outstanding characteristic, physical attribute, etc: he has his good points
16.  a distinctive characteristic or quality of an animal, esp one used as a standard in judging livestock
17.  (often plural) any of the extremities, such as the tail, ears, or feet, of a domestic animal
18.  (often plural) ballet the tip of the toes
19.  a single unit for measuring or counting, as in the scoring of a game
20.  Australian rules football an informal name for behind
22.  finance
 a.  a unit of value used to quote security and commodity prices and their fluctuations
 b.  a percentage unit sometimes payable by a borrower as a premium on a loan
23.  nautical
 a.  one of the 32 marks on the circumference of a compass card indicating direction
 b.  the angle of 11°15′ between two adjacent marks
 c.  a point on the horizon indicated by such a mark
24.  cricket
 b.  a fielder in this position
27.  (Brit) (often plural) US and Canadian equivalent: switch 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
28.  (often plural) a piece of ribbon, cord, etc, with metal tags at the end: used during the 16th and 17th centuries to fasten clothing
29.  backgammon a place or position on the board
30.  (Brit)
 a.  short for power point
 b.  an informal name for socket
31.  an aggressive position adopted in bayonet or sword drill
32.  military the position at the head of a body of troops, or a person in this position
33.  the position of the body of a pointer or setter when it discovers game
34.  boxing a mark awarded for a scoring blow, knockdown, etc
36.  jewellery a unit of weight equal to 0.01 carat
37.  the act of pointing
38.  ice hockey the position just inside the opponents' blue line
39.  beside the point not pertinent; irrelevant
40.  case in point a specific, appropriate, or relevant instance or example
41.  in point of in the matter of; regarding
42.  make a point of
 a.  to make (something) one's regular habit
 b.  to do (something) because one thinks it important
43.  not to put too fine a point on it to speak plainly and bluntly
44.  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 expense
46.  stretch a point
 a.  to make a concession or exception not usually made
 b.  to exaggerate
47.  to the point pertinent; relevant
48.  up to a point not completely
vb (usually foll by at or to)
49.  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 taper
53.  (intr) (of gun dogs) to indicate the place where game is lying by standing rigidly with the muzzle turned in its direction
54.  (tr) to finish or repair the joints of (brickwork, masonry, etc) with mortar or cement
55.  (tr) music to mark (a psalm text) with vertical lines to indicate the points at which the music changes during chanting
57.  (tr) phonetics to provide (a letter or letters) with diacritics
58.  (tr) to provide (a Hebrew or similar text) with vowel points

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History

12c., a merger of two words, both ultimately from L. pungere "prick, pierce" (see pungent). The neut. pp. punctum was used as a noun, meaning "small hole made by pricking," subsequently extended to anything that looked like one, hence, "dot, particle," etc., which was its
meaning as O.Fr. point, borrowed in M.E. by c.1300. The fem. pp. of pungere was puncta, which was used in M.L. to mean "sharp tip," and became O.Fr. pointe, which also passed into English, early 14c. The sense have merged in English, but remain distinct in French. Extended senses are from the notion of "minute, single, or separate items in an extended whole," which is the earliest attested sense in English (early 13c.). Meaning "distinguishing feature" is recorded from late 15c. Meaning "a unit of score in a game" is first recorded 1746. As a typeface unit, it went into use in U.S. 1883. As a measure of weight for precious stones (one one-hundredth of a carat) it is recorded from 1931. The point "the matter being discussed" is attested from late 14c.; meaning "sense, purpose, advantage" (usually in the negative, e.g. what's the point?) is first recorded 1903. Phrase possession is nine (or eleven) points of the law (1690s) is out of a supposed 10 (or 12). Point of honor (1610s) translates Fr. point d'honneur. Point of no return (1941) is originally aviators' term for the point in a flight "before which any engine failure requires an immediate turn around and return to the point of departure, and beyond which such return is no longer practical."

"to indicate with the finger," c.1470, from point (n.). Pointer "item of advice" first recorded 1883.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

point (point)

  1. A sharp or tapered end.

  2. A slight projection.

  3. A stage or condition reached.

v. point·ed, point·ing, points
To become ready to open, as an abscess or boil.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
point   (point)  Pronunciation Key 
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

point definition


The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

at the point of

see on the point of.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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