# pointed

Pronunciation: say "POYN-id" /ˈpɔɪnɪd/

## Adjective

1. Having a sharp or barbed end that tapers to a fine tip; not dull.
   - Simple: Having a sharp end or tip, like a needle, and not dull.
   - _Fishermen once carved pointed hooks from bone, barbed so the catch could not slip free._
   - _The pointed tip of the needle slid easily through the rubber seal._
2. Directed in a critical or negative way at a particular person or topic.
   - Simple: Aimed at a person in a way that is meant to criticize or sting.
   - _The senator's pointed remarks about the budget were aimed squarely at her rival._
   - _He gave a pointed glance at the clock when the meeting ran long._
3. Having direct relevance to the matter at hand; pertinent.
   - Simple: Closely connected to the subject being discussed, exactly on topic.
   - _The editor's pointed suggestions addressed precisely the gaps in the draft's argument._
   - _Reviewers found the study's conclusions pointed, bearing directly on the current policy debate._
5. Having a certain number of points, typically in combination with a numeral, as in five-pointed.
   - Simple: Having a certain number of points, as in a five-pointed star.
   - _The sheriff's badge was a five-pointed star of polished brass._
   - _The cathedral window held a twelve-pointed rose pattern in stained glass._
6. Of an animal's coat: having points, with darker coloring at the extremities such as the face, ears, legs, and tail.
   - Simple: Having darker fur on the face, ears, paws, and tail than on the rest of the body. Used for animals.
   - _Siamese and Himalayan cats are classic pointed breeds, pale-bodied with dark extremities._
   - _The kitten was born pale but grew pointed, darkening at the mask, ears, legs, and tail._
7. Having a named but otherwise arbitrary point, called the basepoint, that remains fixed and is tracked through all subsequent discussion and operations.
   - Simple: Describes a math object that comes with one special chosen point, which is named and kept the same throughout.
   - _Homotopy theory often works with pointed spaces, where every map must respect the basepoint._
   - _The proof treats the circle as pointed, fixing one basepoint before comparing loops._

## Verb

4. Past tense and past participle of point. — simple past and past participle of point
   - Simple: Past tense and past participle of point. Use this form for things that already happened, or after has, have, or had.
   - _Witnesses pointed to the man in the gray jacket._
   - _Critics have pointed out several problems with the proposal._

## Adjective

8. Precise or exact, especially of a stated clock time. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Exact in time, happening right on the dot.
   - _Dinner was served at six pointed, and latecomers found the dishes already cleared._
   - _The old timetable promised a departure at nine pointed from the village square._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/pointed (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).