pointnoun
uk/pɔɪnt/us/pɔɪnt/point noun (IDEA EXPRESSED)
B1 [ C ] an idea, opinion, or piece of information that is said or written:
B2 the meaning or most important part of what someone says or writes:
B1 [ S ] an opinion or fact that deserves to be considered seriously, or that other people agree is true:
not important or not related to the subject being discussed:
B2 said to show that what someone has just said is true or important:
More examples
- The lecturer illustrated his point with a diagram on the blackboard.
- What relevance does that point have to the discussion?
- Time is short so I'll get straight to the point.
- I'm unclear about a couple of points in your proposal - could you go over them again?
- I'll just summarize the main points of the argument in a few words if I may.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Ideas, concepts and theories
- abstract
- afterthought
- brainchild
- concept
- conception
- construct
- dogma
- ideology
- inspiration
- intellectual property
- IP
- ism
- meat
- proposition
- propositional
- punctuated equilibrium
- sacred cow
- straw man
- tenet
- thrust
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point noun (TIME/PLACE)
B2 [ C ] a particular time or stage reached in a process:
[ C ] a particular place:
the temperature at which a substance boils, melts, freezes, etc.
More examples
- I'm sure at some point in the future I'll want a baby.
- At no point did the company do anything illegal.
- It doesn't have to be done this minute, but at some point this week please.
- I was near to tears at one point during the film.
- I've reached the point where I'm not going to put up with her criticisms of me any more.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Points in time
- anytime
- as
- as and when idiom
- downstream
- during
- hour
- immediately
- in midstream idiom
- juncture
- later
- midstream
- midway
- moment
- occasion
- once
- one
- time
- time slot
- under the wire idiom
- wire
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point noun (PURPOSE)
B2 [ S or U ] purpose or usefulness:
More examples
- What's the point of that?
- What's the point of shouting at him?
- There's no point in going if Maggie isn't going to be there.
- There's no point in getting yourself all upset over it.
- I'm not going to this afternoon's session - I don't see the point of it.
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Goals and purposes
- affordance
- aim
- ambition
- aspiration
- avail
- cause 1
- dedicated
- deliverable
- end
- KPI
- objective
- order
- orientation
- poodle
- poodle around (sth)
- prize
- should
- target
- use
- utility
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point noun (UNIT)
B1 [ C ] a mark or unit for counting, especially how much a person or team has scored in a sport:
[ C ] specialized publishing a unit used for measuring the size of printed letters, equal to about 0.3 mm or 1/72 of an inch:
More examples
- I won that point, I'm telling you! The ball was definitely in!
- This was a very impressive performance by the young player, who scored 12 points within the first 10 minutes.
- Clive's team is on five points while Joan's is on seven.
- The player had points deducted from his score for arguing with the referee.
- On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones rose 55 points following good economic figures.
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General terms used in ball sports
- aggregate score
- assist
- back pass
- bobble
- center circle
- chip
- goalless
- holding
- lay
- layoff
- long ball
- man on! idiom
- man-to-man defense
- man-to-man marking
- overarm
- set piece
- shoot
- sidespin
- unplayable
- wrong-foot
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point noun (SHARP END)
B2 [ C ] the sharp end of something, such as a knife:
More examples
- The bone had been honed to a point.
- The point of this pencil isn't sharp enough.
- the sharp point of a sword/dagger
- He thrust the sharp point of his weapon into the heavy wooden door.
- She carefully pushed the sharp point of the needle into the back of her hand.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Sharp and blunt
- blunt
- hone
- jaggy
- keen
- pointed
- pointy
- prickly
- razor-sharp
- sharp
- sharpen
- sharply
- spike
- spiked
- spiky
- spiny
- whet
point noun (CHARACTERISTIC)
B2 [ C ] a particular quality or characteristic of a person or thing:
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Conditions and characteristics
- -ance
- -ancy
- ability
- ambience
- attribute
- character
- complexion
- condition
- feature
- hallmark
- karma
- lineament
- local colour
- middle name
- mien
- nature
- resonate
- respect
- savour
- smack
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point noun (PIECE OF LAND)
[ C ] a long, thin area of land that stretches out into the sea:
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Geography: promontories & peninsulas
- arm
- cape
- causeway
- headland
- isthmus
- panhandle
- peninsula
- promontory
- spit
point noun (SIGN)
B2 [ C ] a small, round spot that is used in numbers to separate whole numbers from parts of numbers:
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Mathematical symbols
- addition sign
- degree
- division sign
- equal sign
- expression
- foot
- minus
- multiplication sign
- pi
- placeholder
- plus
- subtraction sign
- x
- y
point noun (FEET)
the toes of a ballet dancer's shoes:
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Dance & choreography
- arabesque
- ballerina
- ballet
- ballet shoe
- ballroom dancing
- ceilidh
- corps de ballet
- dance
- dance studio
- dancer
- fandango
- flamenco
- mosh
- pirouette
- pointes
- polka
- prima ballerina
- quickstep
- waltz
- war dance
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point noun (ELECTRIC)
[ C ] UK a socket to which a wire from a piece of electrical equipment is connected in order to supply it with electricity or a radio, television, or other signal:
[ C ] specialized engineering in some car engines, either of two parts that allow or prevent the flow of electricity:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Electrical switches & connections
- connector
- cord
- cordless
- dimmer
- dimmer switch
- dip switch
- docking station
- electrical outlet
- ground
- jack
- jack plug
- plug (sth) in/plug (sth) into sth
- push-button
- put sth on
- put sth out 1
- remote control
- shaver point
- socket
- wiring
- zapper
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point noun (RAILWAY)
a place on a railway track where the rails (= metal bars on which the trains travel) can be moved to allow a train to change from one track to another:
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Railways & railway lines
- Amtrak
- artery
- buffer
- cable railway
- funicular
- grade crossing
- junction
- light railway
- metro
- monorail
- narrow-gauge
- railroad
- railroad tie
- rapid-transit
- RR
- signal
- subway
- switch
- switchback
- track
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point noun (MARK)
[ C ] a small, round mark on a line, plan, or map to show the position of something:
C2 [ C ] a mark on a compass that shows direction, such as north, south, east, and west
[ C ] a very small, round light that you can see in the distance:
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Places and locations
- a place for everything and everything in its place idiom
- action
- core
- direction
- ground zero
- heartland
- location
- lot
- oxygen bar
- place
- post
- scene
- seat
- set
- setting
- situation
- spot
- stronghold
- the holy of holies
- venue
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Idiom(s)
pointverb
uk/pɔɪnt/us/pɔɪnt/A2 [ I ] to direct other people's attention to something by holding out your finger towards it:
B1 [ T ] to hold something out in the direction of someone or something:
B1 [ I ] If something points in a particular direction, it is turned towards that direction:
More examples
- It is impolite to point at people.
- She spun the globe, and pointed to the Solomon Islands.
- She pointed to her watch as a sign that it was getting late and she wanted to leave.
- Select the function you require by pointing to the toggle with the mouse and then clicking.
- "No, go that way, " I said, pointing in the opposite direction.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Showing and demonstrating
- act sth out
- attest
- barometer
- bespeak
- bring
- bring sth forward
- flicker
- manifestation
- produce
- prove
- put up sth
- radiate
- revealing
- says something about sb/sth idiom
- signify
- speak
- strike
- suggest
- token
- wear
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Idiom(s)
Phrasal verb(s)
pointadjective [ before noun ]
uk/pɔɪnt/us/pɔɪnt/relating to when a ballet dancer dances on their toes:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dance & choreography
- arabesque
- ballerina
- ballet
- ballet shoe
- ballroom dancing
- ceilidh
- corps de ballet
- dance
- dance studio
- dancer
- fandango
- flamenco
- mosh
- pirouette
- pointes
- polka
- prima ballerina
- quickstep
- waltz
- war dance
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