When weighing gemstones, a point is one-hundredth of a carat.

Interest fee, equal to one percent of the loan amount, that is deducted in advance by the lender.
As, Many banks no longer charge points in granting a mortgage.
Latin punctum (dot).

The current location of the cursor in (X)Emacs. The region is defined to be the area between mark and point.

On a buck (a male deer), the sharp ends of his horns.

After you've seen a buck, people will ask you how many points it had, and if you reply with a high number (higher than ten, say), they will say, "Wow."

In hockey, the points are the areas in either defensive zone from the top of each faceoff circle to the blue line. The points are usually manned by the defensemen on the offensive team, who can take slap shots to put the puck on net, pass, or move to collect a puck coming up the side boards.

A point (unit pt) is used for measuring text size on paper and on screen. On paper, a point is about 0.35mm, and on screen a pt is equal to 1.3333333... pixels1. 12 points equal 1 pica.

The point was adopted as a standard measure in typography in America in 1878, and in England in 1898. Prior to this each foundry had adopted their own system of measure. In Europe however, the point was set at .376mm. To minimise confusion, this is refered to as the Didot point.


http://www.dtp-aus.com/typo/pointsys.shtml was very helpful
As was http://style.cleverchimp.com/
1. At 96dpi (Windows Standard). On Macs a pixel is equal to a point. I'm sure there's others too.

In the game of cricket, point is a fielding position that is located at exactly 90 degrees from the batter, on the off side. Variations include:

  • silly point - located dangerously close to the batter
  • short point - located closer than usual to the batter
  • deep point - located further than usual from the batter, perhaps on the boundary
  • cover point - located at an angle of less than 90 degrees from the batter, closer to the fielder in the covers
  • gully point - located at an angle of greater than 90 degrees from the batter, closer to the fielder in the gully

Point is a very busy position on the field, requiring a fielder who can dive athletically to stop the cut or square drive, move quickly to pick up softer shots, and throw accurately at the stumps, which will typically appear as only one stump wide, due to the 90 degree angle.

A point is a section of glass tube with one or both ends stretched long and thin so as to make a good handle for various lamp working activities. The term is somewhat confusing as it may be used to refer to a portion of tube as described above, but also may refer only to the stretched section. A point is triply useful; the length keeps your hands away from the flame, the small diameter gives you the ability to rotate a larger attached piece quickly, and the (small) wall thickness allows it to cool off quickly if you accidentally heat it up.

The process of point creation is known as pulling a point, and is a very good place to begin a study of lamp working. Standard pyrex tubing comes in 3-foot section which are much too unwieldy to use by themselves. One technique is to pull several points to break the tube down into manageable sections. Alternatively the tube can be melted apart without pulling a point, and a blow tube attached, but points are often more convenient. The timing varies depending on the dimensions of tube you are using (I recommend 5/8" heavy wall to start), but the steps remain the same:

Heat a section of tube.
Heating a section of tube involves smooth rotation (as does everything in glass blowing) to heat evenly. Depending on how long and thick you want the point and the size of your tube and torch you may need to actually gather some glass together or stretch slightly as you are heating. The important thing is getting even heating throughout the glass you want to stretch.
Remove the glass from the flame and continue rotating.
Before you actually pull the point you must wait until you have the right heat distribution in the glass. While waiting you must keep the hot glass on center so it doesn't droop down, alternatively you can move the tube into a vertical position so the drooping occurs on the axis of rotation, but don't use that as a crutch.
Pull the point.
Pull slowly at first until the glass is of even thickness, and starting to lose it's orange glow, then pull quickly to extend the length of the point as far as possible. If you pull too soon the hot glass will stretch to a very narrow diameter, be of uneven thickness, or just plain bent. If you wait too long you won't be able to get the length you need before the glass freezes.
Hold it tight.
At the point when the glass freezes you should be pulling tightly. Assuming the thickness is even this will ensure that the point is straight. Even if your point is horribly off-center (quite likely in the beginning), if the main length of it is straight you will be able to recenter it by heating at the point where it connects to the thicker tube. On the other hand, if the thin part itself is not straight there is nothing that can be done.

Pulling points is a fundamental building block of lamp working, and will teach you many many things about glass and principles of thermodynamics. The kind of points you pull really depend on the application, but since they are throw-away parts they do not generally need to be of high quality. Experienced blowers can pull several points in rapid succession from the same tube. They will be thrown away after use, so they are the perfect excercise for the beginning apprentice.

Point (point), v. t. & i.

To appoint. [Obs.] Spenser.

 

© Webster 1913


Point, n. [F. point, and probably also pointe, L. punctum, puncta, fr. pungere, punctum, to prick. See Pungent, and cf. Puncto, Puncture.]

1.

That which pricks or pierces; the sharp end of anything, esp. the sharp end of a piercing instrument, as a needle or a pin.

2.

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.

3.

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.

4.

The mark made by the end of a sharp, piercing instrument, as a needle; a prick.

5.

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.

6.

An indivisible portion of time; a moment; an instant; hence, the verge.

When time's first point begun
Made he all souls.
Sir J. Davies.

7.

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.

And there a point, for ended is my tale.
Chaucer.

Commas and points they set exactly right.
Pope.

8.

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; as, a point of elevation, or of depression; the stock fell off five points; he won by tenpoints. "A point of precedence." Selden. "Creeping on from point to point." Tennyson.

A lord full fat and in good point.
Chaucer.

9.

That which arrests attention, or indicates qualities or character; a salient feature; a characteristic; a peculiarity; hence, a particular; an item; a detail; as, the good or bad points of a man, a horse, a book, a story, etc.

He told him, point for point, in short and plain.
Chaucer.

In point of religion and in point of honor.
Bacon.

Shalt thou dispute
With Him the points of liberty ?
Milton.

10.

Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established; as, the point of an anecdote. "Here lies the point." Shak.

They will hardly prove his point.
Arbuthnot.

11.

A small matter; a trifle; a least consideration; a punctilio.

This fellow doth not stand upon points.
Shak.

[He] cared not for God or man a point.
Spenser.

12. (Mus.)

A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time; as:

(a) (Anc. Mus.)

A dot or mark distinguishing or characterizing certain tones or styles; as, points of perfection, of augmentation, etc.; hence, a note; a tune. "Sound the trumpet - - not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war." Sir W. Scott.

(b) (Mod. Mus.)

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.

13. (Astron.)

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; as, the equinoctial points; the solstitial points; the nodal points; vertical points, etc. See Equinoctial Nodal.

14. (Her.)

One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon.

15. (Naut.)

(a)

One of the points of the compass (see Points of the compass, below); also, the difference between two points of the compass; as, to fall off a point.

(b)

A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. See Reef point, under Reef.

16. (Anc. Costume)

A a string or lace used to tie together certain parts of the dress. Sir W. Scott.

17.

Lace wrought the needle; as, point de Venise; Brussels point. See Point lace, below.

18. pl. (Railways)

A switch. [Eng.]

19.

An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer. [Cant, U. S.]

20. (Cricket)

A fielder who is stationed on the off side, about twelve or fifteen yards from, and a little in advance of, the batsman.

21.

The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game; as, the dog came to a point. See Pointer.

22. (Type Making)

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.

23.

A tyne or snag of an antler.

24.

One of the spaces on a backgammon board.

25. (Fencing)

A movement executed with the saber or foil; as, tierce point.

⇒ The word point is a general term, much used in the sciences, particularly in mathematics, mechanics, perspective, and physics, but generally either in the geometrical sense, or in that of degree, or condition of change, and with some accompanying descriptive or qualifying term, under which, in the vocabulary, the specific uses are explained; as, boiling point, carbon point, dry point, freezing point, melting point, vanishing point, etc.

At all points, in every particular, completely; perfectly. Shak. --
At point, In point, At, In, or On, the point, as near as can be; on the verge; about (see About, prep., 6); as, at the point of death; he was on the point of speaking. "In point to fall down." Chaucer. "Caius Sidius Geta, at point to have been taken, recovered himself so valiantly as brought day on his side." Milton. --
Dead point. (Mach.) Same as Dead center, under Dead. --
Far point (Med.), in ophthalmology, the farthest point at which objects are seen distinctly. In normal eyes the nearest point at which objects are seen distinctly; either with the two eyes together (binocular near point), or with each eye separately (monocular near point). --
Nine points of the law, all but the tenth point; the greater weight of authority. --
On the point. See At point, above. --
Point lace, lace wrought with the needle, as distinguished from that made on the pillow. --
Point net, a machine-made lace imitating a kind of Brussels lace (Brussels ground). --
Point of concurrence (Geom.), a point common to two lines, but not a point of tangency or of intersection, as, for instance, that in which a cycloid meets its base. --
Point of contrary flexure, a point at which a curve changes its direction of curvature, or at which its convexity and concavity change sides. --
Point of order, in parliamentary practice, a question of order or propriety under the rules. --
Point of sight (Persp.), in a perspective drawing, the point assumed as that occupied by the eye of the spectator. --
Point of view, the relative position from which anything is seen or any subject is considered. --
Points of the compass (Naut.), the thirty-two points of division of the compass card in the mariner's compass; the corresponding points by which the circle of the horizon is supposed to be divided, of which the four marking the directions of east, west, north, and south, are called cardinal points, and the rest are named from their respective directions, as N. by E., N. N. E., N. E. by N., N. E., etc. See Illust. under Compass. --
Point paper, paper pricked through so as to form a stencil for transferring a design. --
Point system of type. See under Type. --
Singular point (Geom.), a point of a curve which possesses some property not possessed by points in general on the curve, as a cusp, a point of inflection, a node, etc. --
To carry one's point, to accomplish one's object, as in a controversy. --
To make a point of, to attach special importance to. --
To make, or gain, a point, accomplish that which was proposed; also, to make advance by a step, grade, or position. --
To mark, or score, a point, as in billiards, cricket, etc., to note down, or to make, a successful hit, run, etc. --
To strain a point, to go beyond the proper limit or rule; to stretch one's authority or conscience. --
Vowel point, in Hebrew, and certain other Eastern and ancient languages, a mark placed above or below the consonant, or attached to it, representing the vowel, or vocal sound, which precedes or follows the consonant.

 

© Webster 1913


Point (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pointing.] [Cf. F. pointer. See Point, n.]

1.

To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end; as, to point a dart, or a pencil. Used also figuratively; as, to point a moral.

2.

To direct toward an abject; to aim; as, to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort.

3.

Hence, to direct the attention or notice of.

Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them.
Pope.

4.

To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate; as, to point a composition.

5.

To mark (as Hebrew) with vowel points.

6.

To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to indicate, as if by pointing; as, the error was pointed out. Pope.

He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech.
Dickens.

7.

To indicate or discover by a fixed look, as game.

8. (Masonry)

To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.

9. (Stone Cutting)

To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool.

To point a rope (Naut.), to taper and neatly finish off the end by interweaving the nettles. --
To point a sail (Naut.), to affix points through the eyelet holes of the reefs. --
To point off, to divide into periods or groups, or to separate, by pointing, as figures. --
To point the yards (of a vessel) (Naut.), to brace them so that the wind shall strike the sails obliquely. Totten.

 

© Webster 1913


Point (point), v. i.

1.

To direct the point of something, as of a finger, for the purpose of designating an object, and attracting attention to it; -- with at.

Now must the world point at poor Katharine.
Shak.

Point at the tattered coat and ragged shoe.
Dryden.

2.

To indicate the presence of game by fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do.

He treads with caution, and he points with fear.
Gay.

3. (Med.)

To approximate to the surface; to head; -- said of an abscess.

To point at, to treat with scorn or contempt by pointing or directing attention to. --
To point well (Naut.), to sail close to the wind; -- said of a vessel.

 

© Webster 1913


Point, n.

1. (Med.)

A pointed piece of quill or bone covered at one end with vaccine matter; -- called also vaccine point.

2.

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.

3. In technical senses:

(a)

In various games, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player himself; as:
(1) (Lacrosse & Ice Hockey)

The position of the player of each side who stands a short distance in front of the goal keeper; also, the player himself.
(2) (Baseball) (pl.)

The position of the pitcher and catcher.

(b) (Hunting)

A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run. [Colloq. Oxf. E. D.]

(c) (Falconry)

The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover.

(d)

Act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions.

 

© Webster 1913

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