Part 374

Point"ed (?), a. 1. Sharp; having a sharp point; as, a pointed rock.

2. Characterized by sharpness, directness, or pithiness of expression; terse; epigrammatic; especially, directed to a particular person or thing.

His moral pleases, not his pointed wit.

Pope.

Pointed arch (Arch.), an arch with a pointed crown. -- Pointed style (Arch.), a name given to that style of architecture in which the pointed arch is the predominant feature; -- more commonly called Gothic.

-- Point"ed*ly, adv. -- Point"ed*ness, n.

Point"el (?), n. [From Point. Cf. Pointal.] See Pointal.

Point"er (?), n. One who, or that which, points. Specifically: (a) The hand of a timepiece. (b) (Zoˆl.) One of a breed of dogs trained to stop at scent of game, and with the nose point it out to sportsmen. (c) pl. (Astron.) The two stars (Merak and Dubhe) in the Great Bear, the line between which points nearly in the direction of the north star. See Illust. of Ursa Major. (b) pl. (Naut.) Diagonal braces sometimes fixed across the hold.

Point"ing, n. 1. The act of sharpening.

2. The act of designating, as a position or direction, by means of something pointed, as a finger or a rod.

3. The act or art of punctuating; punctuation.

4. The act of filling and finishing the joints in masonry with mortar, cement, etc.; also, the material so used.

5. The rubbing off of the point of the wheat grain in the first process of high milling.

6. (Sculpt.) The act or process of measuring, at the various distances from the surface of a block of marble, the surface of a future piece of statuary; also, a process used in cutting the statue from the artist's model.

Point`ing*stock` (?), n. An object of ridicule or scorn; a laughingstock. Shak.

Point"less, a. Having no point; blunt; wanting keenness; obtuse; as, a pointless sword; a pointless remark.

Syn. -- Blunt; obtuse, dull; stupid.

Point"less*ly, adv. Without point.

Point"let*ed (?), a. (Bot.) Having a small, distinct point; apiculate. Henslow.

Poin"trel (?), n. A graving tool. Knight.

Points"man (?), n.; pl. - men (-men). A man who has charge of railroad points or switches. [Eng.]

Poise (?), n. [OE. pois, peis, OF. pois, peis, F. poids, fr. L. pensum a portion weighed out, pendere to weigh, weigh out. Cf. Avoirdupois, Pendant, Poise, v.] [Formerly written also peise.] 1. Weight; gravity; that which causes a body to descend; heaviness. "Weights of an extraordinary poise." Evelyn.

2. The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed.

3. The state of being balanced by equal weight or power; equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest. Bentley.

4. That which causes a balance; a counterweight.

Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of judgment.

Dryden.

Poise (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poised, (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Poising.] [OE. poisen, peisen, OF. & F. peser, to weigh, balance, OF. il peise, il poise, he weighs, F. il pËse, fr. L. pensare, v. intens. fr. pendere to weigh. See Poise, n., and cf. Pensive.] [Formerly written also peise.] 1. To balance; to make of equal weight; as, to poise the scales of a balance.