
beside the point
[Middle English, partly from Old French point, prick, mark, moment (from Vulgar Latin *punctum , from Latin pūnctum, from neuter past participle of pungere, to prick) and partly from Old French pointe, sharp end (from Vulgar Latin *puncta , from Latin pūncta , from feminine past participle of pungere, to prick).]
Deriving from the Latin for ‘pierce’ or ‘prick’, the measurement term ‘point’ characteristically refers to the smallest and indivisible entity, an atom, one might say, in the classical meaning of that word. It originally meant the mark left by a sharply pointed stylus or other tool. The theoretically dimensionless point on a drawing, as distinct from a line or larger entity, is the literal manifestation, while perhaps the most literal usage in measurement is the expression of saw fineness; a seven-point saw has seven sharp points per linear unit (usually per inch), with the repeating point included in the count. Writing ‘in point form’ or discussing the good or other points of someone or something, or scoring in sport, exemplifies the atomistic sense. Atomistically, it has dimension; if regarded as dimensionless, the point obviously is of no utility in measuring rather than marking; it serves for an instant, not an extent, of time, for instance. As a punctuation mark separating integral part from fractional, it has a mighty role in the expression of measure (called decimal point, but with a role that is identical whether the number is written in decimal, binary, octal, else to any other radix).
See also basis point; percentage point.
length USA, UK trad 1/12 line = 1/144in = 176.39~ μm.
mass (jewellers' point) 1/25 diamond grain = 1/100 carat.
Internat 1907, including USA, UK (though not implemented strictly in UK until 1913) As metric point, 1/100 metric carat = 2 mg (0.030 864 7~ gr).
plane angle As a compass point, 1/32 revolution (= π/16 rad, 11° 15′). Hence any specific point of such fraction around the compass from the North. Specifically North, East, South, or West if a cardinal point, the succession of 32 cardinal and lesser points, starting at N and circling clockwise, grouping them by quadrant with cardinal points repeated, are:
| N | N-by-E | NNE | NE-by-N | NE | NE-by-E | ENE | E-by-N | E |
| E | E-by-S | ESE | SE-by-E | SE | SE-by-S | SSE | S-by-E | S |
| S | S-by-W | SSW | SW-by-S | SW | SW-by-W | WSW | W-by-S | W |
| W | W-by-N | WNW | NW-by-W | NW | NW-by-N | NNW | N-by-W | N |
astronomy For expressing the proportion of linear obscuration in an eclipse, a twelfth of the transverse radius, else diameter, of an obscured body.
paper and printing British/American As the printers' point, 1/12 the width of the letter m in some reference texts, and approximately 1/72 inch. That m letter is called just its generic name em, its half the en.
UK, USA, etc. Often stated as 1/72 in = 0.013 889~ in, but not precisely so. The em measures 0.166 044~ in, often regarded as exactly 0.166 in, so the point equals 0.013 837~ in (351.460~ μm) else 0.013 833~ in (351.667~ mm). There are thus 72.27~ else 72.29~ points per inch.
(1) To move the cursor onto a line or image on screen by rolling a mouse across the desk or by pressing the arrow keys.
(2) In typography, a unit equal to 1/72nd of an inch, used to measure the vertical height of a printed character.
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| Plus Tick, Plus | |
| Point and Figure Chart, Poison Pill |
In general:
1. Unit of measurement.
2. see net rating point.
3. see gross rating point.
Advertising: unit of measurement equal to 1/1000-inch thickness of cardboard, used primarily in point-of-purchase advertising. For example, the thickness of an area of board used for a point-of-purchase display may be 50 points.
Printing: unit of measurement equal to 0.0138 (1/72) of an inch and 1/2 of a pica, used chiefly for designating type sizes. The point system is a standard measurement in typography used by typographers, compositors, and printers. Type is measured from the metal body bearing its typeface, and not from its actual character. When using this standardized method of measurement, 72-point type is approximately 1 inch high, and 36-point type is 1/2 inch high. Type can be created in any size, although the most popular cast sizes are 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 60, and 72 point type.
noun
verb
phrasal verb - point out
phrasal verb - point to
phrasal verb - point up
Idioms beginning with point:
point in time
point of no return
point of view
point out
point the finger at
point up
See also at sword's point; at that point; at this point; belabor the point; beside the point; boiling point; brownie points; case in point; get to the point; hit the high spots (points); in (point of) fact; in point; jumping-off place (point); make a point of; make one's point; miss the point; moot point; on the point of; possession is nine points of the law; sore point; stretch a point; strong point; take someone's point; to the point; up to a point; win on points.
Definition: aspect, characteristic
Antonyms: personality, whole
n
Definition: sharp end, top
Antonyms: bluntness, dullness
1. See glazier’s point.
2. A mason’s tool; See wasting.
3. See pointing.
A distinct proposition or question of law arising or propounded in a case. In the case of shares of stock, a point means $1. In the case of bonds a point means $10, since a bond is quoted as a percentage of $1,000. In the case of market averages, the word point means merely that and no more. If, for example, the Dow-Jones Industrial Average rises from 8,349.25 to 8,350.25, it has risen a point. A point in this average, however, is not equivalent to $1.
With respect to the home mortgage finance industry, a fee or charge of one percent of the principal of the loan that is collected by the lender at the time the loan is made and is in addition to the constant long-term stated interest rate on the face of the loan.
Pointing in a dream may mean the dreamer is trying to determine the best direction for reaching some goal. The dreamer may have reached a fork in the road and can no longer proceed along the same old path.
In geometry, a location having no dimension — no length, height, or width — and identified by at least one coordinate.
| poikilothermic, poikilosmotic, poikilocyte | |
| point accepted mutation, point group, point ligand |
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011) |
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| Genre | News: analysis, commentary, features, interviews, specials |
|---|---|
| Running time | c. 110 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English |
| Home station | WBUR |
| Syndicates | National Public Radio |
| Hosts | Tom Ashbrook |
| Creators | Graham Griffith |
| Producers | Karen Shiffman Julie Diop Sam Gale Rosen Pien Huang Eileen Imada Stefano Kotsonis Hilary Barngrove McQuilkin Alex Kingsbury Dean Russell |
| Recording studio | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Air dates | 17 September 2001 to present |
| Opening theme | "Everything is Alright" |
| Website | OnPoint.WBUR.org |
| Podcast | Podcast / RSS feed |
On Point is a two-hour call-in radio show hosted by Tom Ashbrook, a former The Boston Globe foreign editor and reporter, author and Internet entrepreneur. It is produced by WBUR in Boston and syndicated by National Public Radio. The show addresses news issues, as well as arts and culture, health, technology, environmental, and business topics.
It is distributed to 229 public radio stations across the United States by NPR.[citation needed] Major markets include New York City and Washington, D.C., as well as Ann Arbor/Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Miami, Florida, Nashville, Tennessee, St. Louis, Missouri, Des Moines, Iowa, Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island, Tampa, Florida, Spokane, Washington, Eugene, Oregon, and parts of California. On Point averages more than 600,000 podcast downloads a month.[citation needed]
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Contents
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The show has featured political guests such as former President Jimmy Carter; former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; former Secretary of State James Baker; and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
Other guests of public note include Gloria Steinem; Bill Cosby; Camille Paglia; music mogul Russell Simmons; Joyce Carol Oates and John Updike; Jack Welch, George Soros, Jeff Bezos, Tom Perkins, and Eli Broad; and journalists David Remnick, Eleanor Clift, Trudy Rubin, Andrea Mitchell, Andrea Stone, Martha Raddatz, Clarence Page, Ron Brownstein, Chris Matthews, David Gergen, Ellen Goodman, Thomas Friedman, and David Brooks.
The show also features a wide array of arts and culture programming. Musical guests have included: Joan Baez, John Mellencamp, Indigo Girls, Adam Yauch, Lou Reed, KD Lang, Herbie Hancock, Martin Sexton, Gregg Allman and Ry Cooder.
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The show traveled to Shanghai, People's Republic of China, to broadcast a week of programming from April 14–18, 2008. Topics ranged from the Beijing Olympics to Chinese cinema. Among the guests were leading China analysts, officials and journalists. A new website was launched to coincide with the trip.
In the run-up to the 2008 presidential campaign, the show interviewed Barack Obama, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, John Edwards, Ron Paul, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and Sam Brownback. Election commentators included Donna Brazile, Tom Brokaw, Bob Shrum, Dana Milbank, Tony Fabrizio, Joe Klein, EJ Dionne, Pat Buchanan, Peter Hart, and Hendrik Hertzberg. The show traveled to both the Democratic and Republican conventions, broadcasting live in the morning and at night.
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Host Tom Ashbrook went on medical leave in November 2007, to undergo heart bypass surgery. He resumed full-time broadcasting January 2, when he discussed his medical journey in a show with his doctors and nurses.
| This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability. |
On Point is broadcast live from Boston, Massachusetts on WBUR FM (90.9 MHz) from 10 a.m. to 12 noon ET, occupying the former time slot of The Connection, and repeated from 7 to 9 p.m. The show often features senior editor of The Atlantic Monthly and historian Jack Beatty, as a news analyst. Jane Clayson, former CBS morning anchor and correspondent, is commonly the show's fill-in host; NPR's Jacki Lyden, Anthony Brooks and James Hattori have also hosted.
On Point was created by Graham Griffith, and first broadcast on 17 September 2001, to provide special coverage in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. The show's popularity led to it becoming a standalone program, first broadcasting under the On Point name on 4 February 2002.
It is led by senior producer Karen Shiffman and directed by Eileen Imada.[citation needed]
The On Point theme music, "Everything is Alright", comes from the Four Tet album Pause.[citation needed]
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Dansk (Danish)
n. - prik, punktum, punkt, point, spids, odde, pointe, mening
v. tr. - spidse, skærpe, fremhæve, understrege, markere
v. intr. - rette, pege
idioms:
Nederlands (Dutch)
punt, detail, eigenschap, doel, moment, stopcontact, puntig maken, wijzen, cement uitkrabben, leestekens invoeren, richten, aanwijzen, voegen, spitsen
Français (French)
n. - pointe, branche, point, endroit, moment, stade, remarque, question de, point essentiel, objet, côté, (Sport, Fin) point, virgule, signe diacritique, (Math) point, (Imprim, Comput) corps (de caractère), (Géog) pointe, (GB, Rail) aiguillages (npl), (Aut) électrodes (npl), pointes (ballet)
v. tr. - braquer, diriger vers, indiquer, faire des pointes (ballet), (Constr) jointoyer (mur)
v. intr. - indiquer ou montrer du doigt, indiquer (un panneau), sembler indiquer, citer, (Comput) mettre le pointeur sur qch, se mettre à l'arrêt (un chien)
idioms:
Deutsch (German)
n. - Punkt, Merkmal, Spitze, Pointe, Weiche, Zweck, Sinn
v. - zeigen, deuten, spitzen, richten, verfugen, unterstreichen
idioms:
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σημείο, αιχμή, ακίδα, άκρο, μύτη, αιχμηρή απόληξη, στιγμή, τελεία, κόμμα, υποδιαστολή, σημασία, βαθμός, πόντος, κλειδί διασταύρωσης (σιδηροδρόμων), ρόμβος πυξίδας, κάρτα, γραμμή (κλίμακος), πρίζα, σκοπιμότητα, άποψη, ζήτημα, ουσία, χρονική στιγμή, στοιχείο, ακρωτήριο, (Βρετ., καθομ.) σταθερό πόστο αστυνομικού
v. - δείχνω, κατευθύνω, σημαδεύω, στρέφω, σκοπεύω
idioms:
Italiano (Italian)
puntare, indicare, appuntire, punto, fase, presa, senso
idioms:
Português (Portuguese)
n. - ponto (m), extremidade (f), momento (m), situação (f), argumento (m)
v. - apontar, aparecer
idioms:
Русский (Russian)
указывать, подчеркивать, точить, острие, точка, отметка, пункт, стрелка
idioms:
Español (Spanish)
n. - punto, punta, extremo, fase, etapa, fin, finalidad, objeto, enchufe, significado, sentido
v. tr. - señalar, indicar, apuntar, fijar, afilar, aguzar
v. intr. - señalar, apuntar a o hacia, estar de cara a , tender a, mostrar la caza (el perro)
idioms:
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - punkt, prick, detalj, moment, spets, udde, tagg, tidpunkt, grad, poäng, (kompass)streck, kärnpunkt, huvudsak, mening, nytta, egenskap
v. - peka, sikta, rikta, poängtera, vässa, fogstryka, interpunktera
中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
点, 分数, 尖端, 弄尖, 指出, 强调, 指, 表明, 指向
idioms:
中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 點, 分數, 尖端
v. tr. - 弄尖, 指出, 強調
v. intr. - 指, 表明, 指向
idioms:
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 뾰족한 끝, 점, 특징
v. tr. - 뾰족하게 하다, 구두점을 찍다
v. intr. - 가리키다, 겨냥하다, 시사하다
idioms:
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 先端, 点, 句読点, 度, 時点, 地点, 要点, ポイント, 点数, 目的, 特徴, 特質, 程度, 項目
v. - 指さす, 示す, 強調する, 向ける, 先をとがらせる, 狙う
idioms:
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) رأس, , سن, طرف, حافه, نقطه (فعل) يحدد, يبين, يظهر, يشكل الكلمه, يدل على, يشير إلى
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - נקודה, חוד, עוקץ, עיקר, תכלית, צוק, כף, ראש הר, החוליה המובילה של משמר קדמי, כוונה, עניין, צד, אופי, גודל-אות, מאפיין, פרט או פריט בודד, צומת, נקודת-מפנה, עמדה, יחידת-משקל (2 מ"ג) ליהלומים, מטרה, יחידת-מידה לאותיות דפוס (153.0 מ"מ)
v. tr. - הפנה, הדגיש, מילא, טייח, חידד, ניקד
v. intr. - הצביע, ה
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