POINT Copy link • POINT 1. s. A sharp end, aculeus; acumen; mucro (of a sword, etc.): cuspis (of on arrow or spear): At the point of the bayonet, punctim (after Liv.): the point of an epigram, etc., aculeus. A summit, cacumen; culmen; fastigium; vertex. A headland, promontorium. Degree, gradus. To the last point, ut nihil supra. Critical moment, temporis punctum or momentum. To be on the point of, in eo est ut, etc., aliquid faciam, or ut aliquid fiat (☞ avoid in eo sum, ut, which is found first in Servius, Virg., Aen., 3, 28). Also simply by the future participle active; e.g., I was on the point of setting out on a journey, iter facturus eram: when he was on the point of setting out, profecturus; or sub ipsa profectione: they were on the point of coming to blows, prope erant ut manus consererent (Liv.). Particular: the chief or main point, caput, summa (alicujus rei); cardo alicujus rei (post-Augustan, point on which anything turns; Verg., Aen., 1, 672; Quint., 5, 12, 13, etc.): momentum (decisive point, ῥοπή): the main point in a dispute, quaestio: the main point of the question is, quaeritur de, with an ablative (in a philosophical question): agitur de, with an ablative (in a philosophical or judicial question): to touch only the main point of a thing, summatim aliquid exponere; summas tantummodo attingere (in a narrative; Nep., Pelop., 1, 1). Exact place: point of view, (PROP.) locus unde prospectus (to a distance) or despectus (to a lower part) est; (figuratively) e.g., to consider a matter in a right point of view, vere or recte judicare de re; in a wrong point of view, aliquid fallaci judicio (or fallacibus judiciis) videre. 2. v. To give a point to, exacuere; praeacuere; acuminare (Lactantius); acutum facere; cuspidare (Plin.): ☞ peracuere does not occur. To direct, dirigere in locum. To designate (usually with out or to), significare aliquid or aliquem (PROP. and figuratively); digito demonstrare aliquem conspicuumque facere (PROP., to point with the finger to anyone whom one would distinguish among a larger number; Vid: Suet., Oct., 45, extr.): designare or denotare aliquem (figuratively, to allude to anyone in a speech; Vid: Caes., B.G., 1, 18; Liv., 4, 55: ☞ indigitare and innuere in this sense are unclassical). To indicate as a sporting dog, avem facere (after Sen.) [Vid: POINTER]. To distinguish by points, interpunctionibus, or interpunctis, orationem distinguere; interpungere. To finish (a wall) by inlaying mortar, etc., (parietem) effarcire caementis.