point

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A sharp or tapered end: the point of a knife; the point of the antenna.
2. n. An object having a sharp or tapered end: a stone projectile point.
3. n. A tapering extension of land projecting into water; a peninsula, cape, or promontory.
4. n. A mark formed by or as if by a sharp end.
5. n. A mark or dot used in printing or writing for punctuation, especially a period.
6. n. A decimal point.
7. n. Linguistics A vowel point.
8. n. One of the protruding marks used in certain methods of writing and printing for the blind.
9. n. Mathematics A dimensionless geometric object having no properties except location.
10. n. Mathematics An element in a geometrically described set.
11. n. A place or locality considered with regard to its position: connections to Chicago and points west.
12. n. A narrowly particularized and localized position or place; a spot: The troops halted at a point roughly 1,000 yards from the river.
13. n. A specified degree, condition, or limit, as in a scale or course: the melting point of a substance.
14. n. Any of the 32 equal divisions marked at the circumference of a mariner's compass card that indicate direction.
15. n. The interval of 11°15ʹ between any two adjacent markings.
16. n. A distinct condition or degree: finally reached the point of exhaustion.
17. n. The interval of time immediately before a given occurrence; the verge: on the point of resignation; at the point of death.
18. n. A specific moment in time: At this point, we are ready to proceed.
19. n. 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?
20. n. The major idea or essential part of a concept or narrative: You have missed the whole point of the novel.
21. n. A significant, outstanding, or effective idea, argument, or suggestion: Your point is well taken.
22. n. 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.
23. n. A quality or characteristic that is important or distinctive, especially a standard characteristic used to judge an animal.
24. n. A single unit, as in counting, rating, or measuring.
25. n. A unit of academic credit usually equal to one hour of class work per week during one semester.
26. n. A numerical unit of academic achievement equal to a letter grade.
27. n. Sports & Games A unit of scoring or counting.
28. n. A unit equal to one dollar, used to quote or state variations in the current prices of stocks or commodities.
29. n. A unit equal to one percent, used to quote or state interest rates or shares in gross profits.
30. n. One percent of the total principal of a loan, paid up front to the lender and considered separately from the interest.
31. n. Music A phrase, such as a fugue subject, in contrapuntal music.
32. n. Printing A unit of type size equal to 0.01384 inch, or approximately ¹/₇₂ of an inch.
33. n. A jeweler's unit of weight equal to 2 milligrams or 0.01 carat.
34. n. The act or an instance of pointing.
35. n. The stiff and attentive stance taken by a hunting dog.
36. n. Needlepoint.
37. n. See bobbin lace.
38. n. A reconnaissance or patrol unit that moves ahead of an advance party or guard, or that follows a rear guard.
39. n. The position occupied by such a unit or guard: A team of Rangers were walking point at the outset of the operation.
40. n. Sports 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.
41. n. Basketball A position in the forecourt beyond the top of the key, usually taken by the point guard.
42. n. An electrical contact, especially one in the distributor of an automobile engine.
43. n. Chiefly British An electrical socket or outlet.
44. n. The extremities of an animal, such as a horse or dog.
45. n. A movable rail, tapered at the end, such as that used in a railroad switch.
46. n. The vertex of the angle created by the intersection of rails in a frog or switch.
47. n. A ribbon or cord with a metal tag at the end, used to fasten clothing in the 16th and 17th centuries.
48. v. To direct or aim: point a weapon. See Synonyms at aim.
49. v. To bring (something) to notice: pointed out an error in their reasoning.
50. v. To indicate the position or direction of: pointed out the oldest buildings on the skyline.
51. v. To sharpen (a pencil, for example); provide with a point.
52. v. To separate with decimal points: pointing off the hundredths place in a column of figures.
53. v. To mark (text) with points; punctuate.
54. v. Linguistics To mark (a consonant) with a vowel point.
55. v. To give emphasis to; stress: comments that simply point up flawed reasoning.
56. v. To indicate the presence and position of (game) by standing immobile and directing the muzzle toward it. Used of a hunting dog.
57. v. To fill and finish the joints of (masonry) with cement or mortar.
58. v. To direct attention or indicate position with or as if with the finger.
59. v. To turn the mind or thought in a particular direction or to a particular conclusion: All indications point to an early spring.
60. v. To be turned or faced in a given direction; aim.
61. v. To indicate the presence and position of game. Used of a hunting dog.
62. v. Nautical To sail close to the wind.
63. idiom. beside the point Irrelevant to the matter at hand.
64. idiom. in point Having relevance or pertinence.
65. idiom. in point of With reference to; in the matter of: In point of fact, I never lived at the address stated on the form.
66. idiom. 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.
67. idiom. stretch a point To make an exception.
68. idiom. 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.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The sharp end of something, as of a thorn, pin, needle, knife, sword, etc.
2. n. That which tapers to or has a sharp end; a tapering thing with a sharp apex A sword.
3. n. In etching, an engraving tool consisting of a metallic point, a sewing-needle or a medium embroidery-needle, or a rat-tail file ground to an evenly rounded tapering point, not too sharp if intended for use on an etching-ground, but much more trenchant if it is to be employed in dry-point on the bare copper.
4. n. In printing, a projecting pin on a press for marking the register by perforating the paper
5. n. A small diamond or fragment of a diamond used for cutting glass.
6. n. A punch used by stone-masons to form narrow ridges in the face of a stone which is to be afterward dressed down.
7. n. A wedge-shaped chisel for nigging ashler
8. n. A triangular piece of zinc for holding glass in the sash before the putty is put in.
9. n. plural In railroading, the switches or movable guiding-rails at junctions or stations.
10. n. A branch of a deer's antler. See antler.
11. n. In backgammon, one of the narrow tapering spaces on which the men are placed
12. n. plural Spurs or stout needles suitably fastened in a flat board, on which printed sheets are placed by passing the needles through the point-holes; this is done to insure the exact cutting of printed sheets that have uneven margins. Knight, Bookbinding.
13. n. A salient or projecting part; a part of an object projecting abruptly from it, as a peak or promontory from the land or coast.
14. n. A salient feature or physical peculiarity: especially, a feature which determines the excellence of an animal; characteristic; trait.
15. n. The salient feature of a story, discourse, epigram, or remark; that part or feature of a saying, etc., which gives it application; the directly effective part; hence, the possession of such a feature; force or expression generally: as, he failed to see the point of the joke; his action gave point to his words.
16. n. The precise question or matter in dispute or under consideration; the principal thing to be attended to; the main difficulty to be met or obviated: as, these are side issues—let us come to the point.
17. n. An indivisible part of an argument, narrative, or account; a particular; a detail; an item. See at all points and in point of, below.
18. n. Particular end, aim, purpose, or concern; object desired: as, to gain one's point.
19. n. Case; condition; situation; state: plight.
20. n. A deed or feat; an exploit.
21. n. A mark made by the end of a sharp instrument, such as a pin, needle, pen, etc.; a dot or other sign to mark separation, to measure from, etc. Specifically— A mark of punctuation; a character used to mark the divisions of composition, or the pauses to be observed in rending or speaking, as the comma (,), the semicolon (;), the colon (:), and especially the period or full stop (.).
22. n. Hence— A stop; a conclusion; a period.
23. n. A diacritical mark, indicating a vowel, or other modification of sound: especially in Hebrew, Arabic, etc.

Wiktionary

1. n. A discrete division of something.
2. n. An individual element in a larger whole; a particular detail, thought, or quality. [from 13th c.]
3. n. The Congress debated the finer points of the bill.
4. n. A particular moment in an event or occurrence; a juncture. [from 13th c.]
5. n. There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up.
6. n. At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda.
7. n. Condition, state. [from 13th c.]
8. n. She was not feeling in good point.
9. n. A topic of discussion or debate; a proposition, a focus of conversation or consideration. [from 14th c.]
10. n. I made the point that we all had an interest to protect.
11. n. The smallest quantity of something; a jot, a whit. [14th-17th c.]
12. n. 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.ii:
13. n. full large of limbe and euery ioint / He was, and cared not for God or man a point.
14. n. A tiny amount of time; a moment. [14th-17th c.]
15. n. A specific location or place, seen as a spatial position. [from 14th c.]
16. n. We should meet at a pre-arranged point.
17. n. This template needs documentation and categorisation. Please create the documentation page.A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions; something considered to have position but no magnitude or direction. [from 14th c.]
18. n. A purpose or objective. [from 14th c.]
19. n. Since the decision has already been made, I see little point in further discussion.
20. n. A full stop or other terminal punctuation mark. [from 14th c.]
21. n. A distinguishing quality or characteristic. [from 15th c.]
22. n. Logic isn't my strong point.
23. n. Something tiny, as a pinprick; a very small mark. [from 15th c.]
24. n. The stars showed as tiny points of yellow light.
25. n. This template needs documentation and categorisation. Please create the documentation page.A tenth; formerly also a twelfth. [from 17th c.]
26. n. Possession is nine points of the law.
27. n. Each of the marks or strokes written above letters, especially in Semitic languages, to indicate vowels, stress etc. [from 17th c.]
28. n. A unit of scoring in a game or competition. [from 18th c.]
29. n. The one with the most points will win the game
30. n. A decimal point (now especially when reading decimal fractions aloud). [from 18th c.]
31. n. 10.5 ("ten point five"; = ten and a half)
32. n. A unit used to express differences in prices of stocks and shares. [from 19th c.]
33. n. 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). [from 19th c.]
34. n. An electric power socket. [from 20th c.]
35. n. A sharp extremity.
36. n. The sharp tip of an object. [from 14th c.]
37. n. Cut the skin with the point of the knife.
38. n. Any projecting extremity of an object. [from 14th c.]
39. n. An object which has a sharp or tapering tip. [from 14th c.]
40. n. His cowboy belt was studded with points.
41. n. Each of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played. [from 15th c.]
42. n. A peninsula or promontory. [from 15th c.]
43. n. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force. [from 16th c.]
44. n. 2005, Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945–2000, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0-7432-3011-6, page 189:
45. n. 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.
46. n. Each of the main directions on a compass, usually considered to be 32 in number; a direction. [from 16th c.]
47. n. Pointedness of speech or writing; a penetrating or decisive quality of expression. [from 17th c.]
48. n. 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:
49. n. 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?"
50. n. This template needs documentation and categorisation. Please create the documentation page.(in plural ("points")) A railroad switch. [from 19th c.]
51. n. This template needs documentation and categorisation. Please create the documentation page.An area of contrasting colour on an animal, especially a dog; a marking. [from 19th c.]
52. n. The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable.
53. n. A fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover. [from 19th c.]
54. v. To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it.
55. v. To draw attention to something or indicate a direction.
56. v. To repair mortar.
57. v. To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction
58. v. To repair by removing and replacing loose mortar.
59. v. To direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory.
60. v. To direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To appoint.
2. n. That which pricks or pierces; the sharp end of anything, esp. the sharp end of a piercing instrument, as a needle or a pin.
3. n. An instrument which pricks or pierces, as a sort of needle used by engravers, etchers, lace workers, and others; also, a pointed cutting tool, as a stone cutter's point; -- called also pointer.
4. n. Anything which tapers to a sharp, well-defined termination. Specifically: A small promontory or cape; a tract of land extending into the water beyond the common shore line.
5. n. The mark made by the end of a sharp, piercing instrument, as a needle; a prick.
6. n. An indefinitely small space; a mere spot indicated or supposed. Specifically: (Geom.) 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.
7. n. An indivisible portion of time; a moment; an instant; hence, the verge.
8. n. 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 esp. a period; hence, figuratively, an end, or conclusion.
9. n. 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
10. n. That which arrests attention, or indicates qualities or character; a salient feature; a characteristic; a peculiarity; hence, a particular; an item; a detail
11. n. Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established.
12. n. A small matter; a trifle; a least consideration; a punctilio.
13. n. A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time.
14. n. A dot or mark distinguishing or characterizing certain tones or styles; ; hence, a note; a tune.
15. n. A dot placed at the right hand of a note, to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half, as to make a whole note equal to three half notes, a half note equal to three quarter notes.
16. n. A fixed conventional place for reference, or zero of reckoning, in the heavens, usually the intersection of two or more great circles of the sphere, and named specifically in each case according to the position intended
17. n. One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon.
18. n. One of the points of the compass (see Points of the compass, below); also, the difference between two points of the compass.
19. n. A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. See Reef point, under Reef.
20. n. A a string or lace used to tie together certain parts of the dress.
21. n. Lace wrought the needle. See Point lace, below.
22. n. A switch.
23. n. An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer.
24. n. A fielder who is stationed on the off side, about twelve or fifteen yards from, and a little in advance of, the batsman.
25. n. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game. See Pointer.
26. n. A standard unit of measure for the size of type bodies, being one twelfth of the thickness of pica type. See Point system of type, under Type.
27. n. A tyne or snag of an antler.
28. n. One of the spaces on a backgammon board.
29. n. A movement executed with the saber or foil.
30. n. A pointed piece of quill or bone covered at one end with vaccine matter; -- called also vaccine point.
31. n. One of the raised dots used in certain systems of printing and writing for the blind. The first practical system was that devised by Louis Braille in 1829, and still used in Europe (see Braille). Two modifications of this are current in the United States: New York point founded on three bases of equidistant points arranged in two lines (viz., : :: :::), and a later improvement, American Braille, embodying the Braille base (:::) and the New-York-point principle of using the characters of few points for the commonest letters.
32. n. In various games, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player himself The position of the pitcher and catcher.
33. n. A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run.
34. n. The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover.
35. n. Act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions.
36. v. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end. Used also figuratively.
37. v. To direct toward an abject; to aim.
38. v. Hence, to direct the attention or notice of.
39. v. To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate.
40. v. To mark (a text, as in Arabic or Hebrew) with vowel points; -- also called vocalize.
41. v. To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to indicate, as if by pointing.
42. v. To indicate or discover by a fixed look, as game.
43. v. To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.
44. v. To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool.
45. v. To direct the point of something, as of a finger, for the purpose of designating an object, and attracting attention to it; -- with at.
46. v. To indicate the presence of game by fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do.
47. v. To approximate to the surface; to head; -- said of an abscess.