Point | Mean of point in English Dictionary

/ˈpoɪnt/

• Noun
• an idea that you try to make other people accept or understand
1. She showed us several graphs to illustrate the point she was making.
2. I see your point, but I don't think everyone will agree.
3. There's no use in arguing the point.
4. He made a very good point about the need for change.
5. Let me make one final point.
6. That's the point I've been trying to make.
7. “What's your point?” “Actually, I have two points.”
8. My point is simply that we must do something to help the homeless.
9. That's my point exactly.
10. Maybe there's a better way to get your point across. [=to make people understand what you are saying]
11. He's willing to do almost anything to prove a point. [=to show that he is right about something]
12. If you want to stretch a point [=exaggerate slightly], you could say that he is handsome.
13. “If we leave now, we won't make it back in time.” “That's a good point.”
14. “You have to help them.” “Point taken. [=I understand what you are saying] I'll do what I can.”
15. I don't want to labor/belabor the point [=repeat myself too many times], but I think I should mention again that we are running out of time.
• a particular detail of an idea or argument
1. There are two critical/crucial/key points that I would like to discuss.
2. There are several weak points in their theory.
• the main or most important idea of something that is said or written
1. It took several paragraphs for her to come/get to the point of her argument.
2. If you drive while drunk, you could lose your license, but even more to the point [=more importantly], you could kill someone.

• a reason for doing something
1. Is there a point to/for all of this paperwork?
2. What's the point of having [=why have] a swimming pool if you never use it?
3. I saw no point in continuing the discussion.
4. There's no point in getting upset. [=there is no reason to get upset]
5. There's not much point in making rules if no one's going to follow them.
• an individual detail or part of something
1. The only point at issue is when the meeting should be held.
2. Carefully consider each point in the witness's testimony.
3. We debated the fine/finer points of the law.
4. The main point of contention [=the main thing that people are arguing over] is who owns the rights to the land.
• a particular position, location, or place
1. We met at a point halfway between the two cities.
2. The sun reaches its highest point in the sky at noon.
3. the country's northernmost point
4. distant points in the solar system
5. Change trains here for all points south.
6. The break occurred at a weak point in the bone.
7. She showed us the old capital building and other points of interest.
8. Ellis Island in Manhattan was the point of entry of many American immigrants. [=the place where many immigrants entered the U.S.]
9. The package's point of origin [=the place from where the package was sent] was somewhere in the U.S.
• a particular time or a particular stage in the development of something
1. At no point (in time) did the defendant ask for a lawyer.
2. By this point in the conversation, I was beginning to lose my patience.
3. I imagine the change will take place at some point in the next year or so.
4. We are approaching the cutoff point of the negotiations.
5. At that time, she enjoyed more success than at any other point in her career.
6. That was the high/low point of her career.
7. At this point in my life, I can't afford to take any risks. = I'm at a point in my life where I can't afford to take any risks.
8. It got to the point where we could no longer ignore his behavior.
9. The game had gone past the point of being fun. [=the game had stopped being fun]
10. We walked all day and were beyond the point of exhaustion.
11. The temperature will rise to 33 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point the ice will begin to melt.
12. It's the natural starting point for a discussion on how to help the homeless.
13. There comes a point in a man's life when he has to think seriously about his future.
14. From that point on [=beginning at that time], I took my studies more seriously.
15. From this point on, any further changes must be approved by your supervisor.
16. Up to that point it had been a successful meeting.
17. The animals were hunted to the point of extinction. [=the animals were hunted until they were extinct]
18. She was at the point of leaving [=she was just about to leave] when he asked her to dance.
19. The police are on the point of solving the case. [=the police have almost solved the case]
• a unit of measurement
1. Her blood pressure had risen 16 points since her last checkup.
2. Support for the President dropped three points [=percent] after the incident.
3. She is currently 10 points behind the leading candidate in the polls.
4. Interest rates have risen about two percentage points. [=interest rates rose about two percent]
• a unit that is used to score a game or contest
1. We won (the game) by three points.
2. They scored 13 points in the first quarter.
3. She has to win this point in order to win the match.
4. She lost a point for falling off the balance beam.
5. A touchdown is worth six points.
6. He beat his opponent on points. [=by winning more points than his opponent]
• praise, credit, or approval for doing something good or helpful
1. She washed the car in order to score points [=brownie points] with her father.
2. He's not too smart, but he gets points for effort. [=he should be given credit for the effort he makes]
• the usually sharp end of something (such as a sword, needle, or pencil)
1. the sharp point [=tip] of the needle
2. She sharpened the pencil down to a point.
3. The alligator's tail tapers to a point.
• a small dot
1. We see the stars and planets as tiny points of light.
2. a line drawn between two points
• any one of the 32 marks on a compass that are used for showing directions
1. The point SSW is between the points S and SW.
2. The cardinal points [=the four main directions] are North, South, East, and West.
• a piece of land that sticks out into a lake, ocean, etc.
1. The light was coming from the lighthouse on the point.
2. Montauk Point is at the eastern tip of Long Island.
• a unit that measures the size of letters typed on a computer or printed in a published work
1. Your essays should be double-spaced and written in 12-point type.
• when considering (a particular quality)
1. The two painters differ greatly in point of skill. [=the level of their skill is very different]
2. Some people think that all fat is unhealthy to eat when, in point of fact [=in truth, in actuality], some types of fat are good for you.
• relating very well to the subject that is being discussed
1. His criticisms about the war were very much on point.
2. Her message is (right) on point.
• relating to the thing that is being thought about or discussed
1. Please keep your questions brief and to the point.
• Verb
• to show someone where to look by moving your finger or an object held in your hand in a particular direction
1. “It's not polite to point,” she said.
2. When I asked the child where his mother was, he pointed in the direction of the house.
3. Pointing with his cane, the old man asked, “Whose dog is that?”
4. It's not polite to point at people.
5. All the kids were pointing and laughing at me.
6. She pointed at the map on the wall.
7. “It's time to leave,” he said pointing at his watch.
8. She pointed to me and asked me to stand up.
9. He pointed toward the door.
10. She pointed her finger at the door.
• to cause the front or tip of (something) to be turned toward someone or something
1. Point [=aim] the flashlight into the hole.
2. They pointed their microphones in my direction.
3. She pointed her camera at us.
4. A gun was pointed at his head.
• to have the end or tip extended, aimed, or turned in a specified direction
1. We can leave when the minute hand points to 12.
2. Stand with your arms at your sides and your hands pointing downward.
3. The ship was pointing into the wind.
• to use a mouse or other device to move the pointer on a computer screen to a particular object or place
1. Just point the arrow on the icon and click.
2. Just point and click.
• to show (someone) which direction to travel in order to reach a particular place
1. She pointed him to the school's library.
2. Could you point me in the direction of the train station?
3. If you just point me in the general direction, I think I can find it.
• to give a sharp end to (something)
1. He was pointing [=(more commonly) sharpening] a stick with a knife.
• to repair (a wall, chimney, etc.) by putting new cement or other material between the bricks or stones
1. The wall needs to be pointed.
• to direct someone's attention to (someone or something) by pointing
1. He pointed his girlfriend out in the crowd.
2. Could you point out the restrooms, please.
3. We asked her to point out (to us) her country on the map.
4. He pointed out the houses of famous people as we drove by.
5. He pointed out the way to the restrooms.
• to talk about or mention (something that you think is important)
1. Let me point out [=mention] a few things before we switch topics.
2. He was quick to point our mistake out.
3. He pointed out the benefits/importance of daily exercise.
4. As she likes to point out, she distrusted him from the beginning.
5. I would like to point out that no one is perfect.
6. He pointed out that there are several advantages to owning your own home.
• to show the way to go in order to get somewhere
1. She pointed the way to the exit.
2. We led good lives, and we must thank our parents for pointing the way.
3. Their work pointed the way for future scientific research.
• to mention or refer to (something) as a way of supporting an argument or claim
1. The prosecution is unable to point to anything that proves its case.
2. I can point to several past accomplishments that show that I can perform the job well.
• to show that something is true or probably true
1. All the evidence points to him as the murderer. [=all the evidence indicates that he is the murderer]
2. Her symptoms point to diabetes. [=her symptoms suggest that she has diabetes]
3. Everything points to a bright future for their company.
4. The results from these tests point toward a different conclusion.
• to bring attention to (something)
1. The speaker pointed up the importance of improving public education.
2. The destruction caused by the earthquake points up the need for improvements in construction standards.
• to bend your foot down so that the top of it and the front of your leg form a straight line
1. She forgot to point her toes when she dove into the water.