Phrase attached to the end of a sentence in order to express a strong point. To make a point of "be resolved to do something and do it accordingly" is from 1778. Phrase meaning the end of a conversation, usually inserted to the end of a sentence when the speaker is tired of the subject. Point of no return (1941) is originally aviators' term for the point in a flight "before which any engine failure requires an immediate turn around and return to the point of departure, and beyond which such return is no longer practical". Point of honor (1610s) translates French point d'honneur. meaning "sense, purpose, end, aim, advantage" (usually in the negative, as in what's the point?) is recorded by 1903. The point "the matter being discussed" is attested from late 14c. Meaning "diacritical mark indicating a vowel or other modification of sound" is from 1610s. As a measure of weight for precious stones (one one-hundredth of a carat) it is recorded from 1931. As a typeface unit (in Britain and U.S., one twelfth of a pica), it went into use in U.S. The meaning "recognized unit of fluctuation of price per share on an exchange" is by 1814. Meaning "a unit of score in a game" is recorded from 1746. Meaning "distinguishing feature" (especially a good one) is recorded from late 15c. The extended senses often are from the notion of "minute, single, or separate items in an extended whole." The sense of "brief period of time, instant" is from late 14c. The sense of "peak or promontory from a land or coast" is from 1550s. The senses have merged in English, but remain distinct in French. past participle of pungere was puncta, which was used in Medieval Latin to mean "sharp tip," and became Old French pointe "point of a weapon, vanguard of an army," which also passed into English (early 14c.). The meaning "small mark, dot" (mark made by the end of a pointed instrument) in English is from mid-14c. This yielded Old French point "dot smallest amount," which was borrowed in Middle English in the "smallest amount" sense by c. The Latin neuter past participle punctum was used as a noun, meaning "small hole made by pricking," subsequently extended to anything that looked like one, hence, "dot, particle," etc. 1200, pointe, "minute amount, single item in a whole sharp end of a sword, etc.," a merger of two words, both ultimately from Latin pungere "to prick, pierce," from a nasalized form of PIE root *peuk- "to prick."
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