pointlessadj.adv.

c1330 Sir Degare (Auch.) 1047 in W. H. French & C. B. Hale Middle Eng. Metrical Romances (1930) 319 (MED) Þe Fader amerueiled wes Whi his swerd was pointles.

?1435 in C. L. Kingsford Chrons. London (1905) 49 (MED) Herry, prince off Walys..was on the riht hande off the kyng with a newe swerde in his hande, poynteles, the which bitokenyth pees.

?c1475 ( in T. Wright Polit. Poems & Songs (1861) II. 146 (MED) Thre swerdis there were borne, oon poyntlees and two poyntid; The toon was a swerde of mercy.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. xxv^v After the procession folowed therle of Northumberlande with a poincteless sword naked.

1577 R. Holinshed Hist. Eng. 72/1 in Chron. I By reason their swordes were brode at the endes, and poyntlesse, they auayled little to hurt the armed enimie.

1600 N. Breton Pasquils Passe 18 A poyntlesse needle, and a broken knife.

1687 J. Dryden Hind & Panther ii. 56 You lay that pointless clergy-weapon by, And to the laws, your sword of justice, fly.

1702 D. Jones Life James II 85 The Earl of Shrewsbury bearing Curtana, or the pointless Sword.

1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Iliad in Iliad & Odyssey I. xx. 539 For I wield also not a pointless beam.

1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) xxvii. 277 ‘My pencils are all pointless,’ she said.

1869 C. Boutell tr. J. P. Lacombe Arms & Armour ii. 17 The long, flexible, and pointless weapons that are described by the Roman historians.

1961 W. C. Dickinson Scotl. from Earliest Times to 1603 376 The Privy Council decreed that no former member of the clan might carry any weapon save only a pointless knife for his meat.

1989 K. Bosley tr. Kalevala 81 I'd reckon you a fellow if you could split a horsehair with a pointless knife.

2000 Portland (Maine) Press Herald 9 a The top of the microwave is yet another overflow for overdue library books,..and several big coffee cans full of peeled crayons, pointless pencils, [etc.].

1673 E. Settle Empress of Morocco iii. 22 If such loud Crimes your armless Pow'r out-face, Your pointless Vengeance will your Heav'n disgrace.

1682 A. Behn Prol. to Like Father, Like Son 1 Purr's on his pointless Mischiefs, tho' in vain.

1708 Poet. Reflexions Vices & Follies 16 The pointless Frowns of silly Chloe's Eyes.

1726 E. Fenton in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey V. xx. 448 The Suitors..aim to wound the Prince with pointless wit.

1760 J. Wesley Jrnl. 7 Aug. (1827) III. 13 Why should a little pointless raillery make us ashamed?

1844 B. Disraeli Coningsby I. iii. iv. 302 He said something rather pointless about admiring everything that is beautiful.

1884 Manch. Examiner 1 Dec. 3/1 This is a pointless little story.

1934 E. Waugh Handful of Dust ii. 33 It sometimes seems to me rather pointless keeping up a house this size if we don't now and then ask some other people to stay in it.

1966 H. Roseveare Give me this Mountain i. 18 Without Him, it was a weary, stupid, empty, pointless, useless life.

1995 Independent 17 May 21/4 An accountant who will not cheat on our taxes is a totally pointless human being.

1876 Coursing Cal. 79 Rose-of-Sutton, who ran most artistically, giving Mr Anderton's dog a pointless beating.

1891 Daily News 6 Nov. 2/6 The latter did not long remain pointless, and after a long run by Hubbard, Fegan registered a try.

1892 Standard 3 Oct. 7/6 A pointless draw was the result of the meeting.

1971 Times 15 Feb. 9/1 The match also gave the championship table a rather ironic look with..Scotland, who have played splendid Rugby.., pointless at the bottom.

1993 Hockey News (Toronto) 5 Feb. 51/1 He broke a seven-game pointless streak with two goals.

1879 R. L. Stevenson Trav. with Donkey 26 It was the most pointless labyrinth.

1877 Coursing Cal. Autumn 1876 6 King William was..first to a fence,..and beat..Thunderstorm next to pointless.

1880 Times 21 Feb. 9/4 They went into the slips again, but on the second go Honeywood beat Surpriser pointless.

1918 Evening State Jrnl. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 15 Aug. 10/5 Just when it looked as if the Army would be beaten pointless, Tober made a fine two base hit in the ninth inning.

1987 Racing Ahead Mar. 17/1 The race was a procession. Talma II, covered in a lather of sweat, beat his field pointless by many lengths.

2004 Sunday Times (Perth, Austral.) (Nexis) He took on the world's greatest mare, Sunline, and beat her pointless five times in five races.