Part 373

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.

Point"al (?), n. [From Point: cf. F. pointal an upright wooden prop, OF. pointille a prick or prickle.]

1. (Bot.) The pistil of a plant.

2. A kind of pencil or style used with the tablets of the Middle Ages. "A pair of tablets [i. e., tablets] . . . and a pointel." Chaucer.

3. (Arch.) See Poyntel. [Obs. or R.]

Point`-blank" (?), n. [F. point point + blanc white.] 1. The white spot on a target, at which an arrow or other missile is aimed. [Obs.] Jonson.

2. (Mil.) (a) With all small arms, the second point in which the natural line of sight, when horizontal, cuts the trajectory. (b) With artillery, the point where the projectile first strikes the horizontal plane on which the gun stands, the axis of the piece being horizontal.

Point`-blank", a. 1. Directed in a line toward the object aimed at; aimed directly toward the mark.

2. Hence, direct; plain; unqualified; -- said of language; as, a point-blank assertion.

Point-blank range, the extent of the apparent right line of a ball discharged. -- Point-blank shot, the shot of a gun pointed directly toward the object to be hit.

Point`-blank", adv. In a point- blank manner.

To sin point-blank against God's word.

Fuller.

Point` d'ap`pui" (?). [F.] (Mil.) See under Appui.

{ Point`-de*vice", Point`-de*vise" } (?), a. [OE. at point devis; at at + point point, condition + devis exact, careful, OF. devis fixed, set. See Device.] Uncommonly nice and exact; precise; particular.

You are rather point-devise in your accouterments.

Shak.

Thus he grew up, in logic point-devise, Perfect in grammar, and in rhetoric nice.

Longfellow.

{ Point`-de*vice", Point`-de*vise", } adv. Exactly. [Obs.] Shak.