Word: point Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English pointen, poynten, from Old French pointier, pointer, poynter, from point from Latin pūnctum. Pronunciation: /pɔɪnt/ 1. To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it. Labels: intransitive Example: It's rude to point at other people. Example: Now must the world point at poor Katharine. 2. To draw attention to something or indicate a direction. Labels: intransitive Example: The arrow of a compass points north Example: The skis were pointing uphill. 3. To face in a particular direction. Labels: intransitive 4. To direct toward an object; to aim. Labels: figuratively, sometimes, transitive Example: to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort Example: 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 […] 5. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end. Example: to point a dart, a pencil, or (figuratively) a moral 6. To indicate a probability of something. Labels: intransitive Example: 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. 7. To repair mortar. Labels: ambitransitive 8. To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface. Labels: transitive 9. To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool. Example: Damaged stone will be removed, and the new stone installed and pointed to ensure a comprehensive match to maintain the integrity of the structure. 10. To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction. Labels: transitive Example: If he asks for food, point him toward the refrigerator. Example: Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them. 11. To separate an integer from a decimal with a decimal point. Labels: transitive 12. To mark with diacritics. Labels: transitive 13. To mark (e.g. an Anglican psalm) with pointing. Labels: transitive 14. To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate. Labels: dated Example: to point a composition 15. To direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory. Labels: transitive 16. To direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name. Labels: Internet, transitive 17. To sail close to the wind. Labels: intransitive Example: Bear off a little, we're pointing. 18. To indicate the presence of game by a fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do. Labels: intransitive Example: Novv the vvarm Scent aſſures the Covey near, / He [the dog] treads vvith Caution, and he points vvith Fear; […] Example: 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. 19. To approximate to the surface; to head. 20. To give point to (something said or done); to give particular prominence or force to. Labels: dated Example: He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech. Example: ‘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.