underpoint
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: underpoints
Etymology: From under- + point.
Senses: examples: text: An object appears to present a difficulty to a flame that cannot surround it, or approach the so doing. This a mere upper-surface ignited affords little prospect of doing, an undersurface much more, an under edge still more, and an underpoint (never mind Euclid's definitions) again still more, being capable of being nearly surrounded by the smallest flame.
ref: 1867, F. W. Devey, Speculations on a Method of extinguishing Fires without Water, page 44:
text: Every workman who filed the teeth had the model of a perfect tooth with him and was told to file the tooth to the shape of the underpoint of a man's little finger.
ref: 1884, Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, page 331:
text: Then he straightens up his right arm, which he swings quickly as a pivot to speed a left hand punch which travels from below the outside of his slightly bended left knee to the underpoint of the opponent's chin.
ref: 1937, Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Do Or Die: A Supplementary Manual on Individual Combat:
glosses: A downward facing point on the underside.
examples: text: In larger dimensions, recurrent formulas, articulation, and phrase structure become important, and it may be possible to abstract various general curve types by studying the location of peaks and underpoints.
ref: 1966, Bonnie C. Kowall, Perspectives in music education, source - Book 3, page 151:
text: Since his dynamic changes follow the development of the intensity of the music, they often indicate the direction of emotional movement to the climax or underpoints.
ref: 1987, Tzong-Kai Kuo, Chiang Wen-yeh:
text: In skillful fugues the heightening tension of contrapuntal development finds confirmation in peaks and underpoints, dissonance quotient, and expansion or compression of tessitura, as well as other less direct sources of stress such as the largely intellectual pleasure of increasingly sophisticated and arcane manipulations.
ref: 1992, Jan LaRue -, Guidelines for Style Analysis, page 177:
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
music
glosses: The lowest intensity point of a diminuendo that is followed by an increase in volume and intensity.
examples: text: If either player overcounts or undercounts his hand (or crib or play), after he has finished pegging the wrong number, not before, the opponent may say, "Muggins," show him the error, have him peg correctly, and then add to his own score the number of overpoints or underpoints.
ref: 1943, Dale Adams, Fun with Cards, page 69:
glosses: The number of scored points below a specified criterion.
examples: text: I appreciate the comments by the distinguished Senator from Idaho. Mr. President, just a couple of more underpoints.
ref: 1975, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates:
text: With your permission, Mr. Chairman, he has brought some of his kids here, and they may sort of provide an underpoint, if I could ask them to stand up.
ref: 2000, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Reform. Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, Pros and cons of drug legalization, decriminalization, and harm reduction:
glosses: Something that calls attention to or emphasizes a particular conclusion within a topic of discussion.