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Point vs Sign - What's the difference?

point | sign |

In mathematics terms the difference between point and sign

is that point is a decimal point (now especially when reading decimal fractions aloud) while sign is positive or negative polarity.

In intransitive terms the difference between point and sign

is that point is to indicate a probability of something while sign is to use sign language.

In transitive terms the difference between point and sign

is that point is to mark with diacritics while sign is to furnish (a road etc.) with signs.

point

English

(wikipedia point)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A discrete division of something.
  • # An individual element in a larger whole; a particular detail, thought, or quality.
  • The Congress debated the finer points of the bill.
  • # A particular moment in an event or occurrence; a juncture.
  • There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up.
  • At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda.
  • # (archaic) Condition, state.
  • She was not feeling in good point .
  • # A topic of discussion or debate; a proposition, a focus of conversation or consideration.
  • I made the point that we all had an interest to protect.
  • # (obsolete) The smallest quantity of something; a jot, a whit.
  • #* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.ii:
  • full large of limbe and euery ioint / He was, and cared not for God or man a point .
  • # (obsolete) A tiny amount of time; a moment.
  • #* Sir J. Davies
  • When time's first point begun / Made he all souls.
  • # A specific location or place, seen as a spatial position.
  • We should meet at a pre-arranged point .
  • # (mathematics, science) A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions; something considered to have position but no magnitude or direction.
  • # A purpose or objective.
  • Since the decision has already been made, I see little point in further discussion.
  • # A full stop or other terminal punctuation mark.
  • #* Alexander Pope
  • Commas and points they set exactly right.
  • # (music) A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time. In ancient music, it distinguished or characterized certain tones or styles (points of perfection, of augmentation, etc.). In modern music, it is placed on the right of a note to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half.
  • # (by extension) A note; a tune.
  • #* Sir Walter Scott
  • Sound the trumpet — not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war.
  • # A distinguishing quality or characteristic.
  • Logic isn't my strong point .
  • # Something tiny, as a pinprick; a very small mark.
  • The stars showed as tiny points of yellow light.
  • # (now only in phrases) A tenth; formerly also a twelfth.
  • Possession is nine points of the law.
  • # Each of the marks or strokes written above letters, especially in Semitic languages, to indicate vowels, stress etc.
  • # (gaming) A unit of scoring in a game or competition.
  • The one with the most points will win the game
  • # (mathematics) A decimal point (now especially when reading decimal fractions aloud).
  • 10.5 ("ten point five"; = ten and a half)
  • # (economics) A unit used to express differences in prices of stocks and shares.
  • # (typography) a unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era).
  • # (UK) An electric power socket.
  • # (navigation, nautical) A unit of bearing equal to one thirty-second of a circle, i.e. 11.25°.
  • Ship ahoy, three points off the starboard bow!
  • A sharp extremity.
  • # The sharp tip of an object.
  • Cut the skin with the point of the knife.
  • # Any projecting extremity of an object.
  • # An object which has a sharp or tapering tip.
  • His cowboy belt was studded with points .
  • # (backgammon) Each of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played.
  • # A peninsula or promontory.
  • # The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force.
  • #* 2005 , Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945–2000 , Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0-7432-3011-6, page 189:
  • Willie Jones decided to become Kimani Jones, Black Panther, on the day his best friend, Otis Nicholson, stepped on a mine while walking point during a sweep in the central highlands.
  • # Each of the main directions on a compass, usually considered to be 32 in number; a direction.
  • # (nautical) The difference between two points of the compass.
  • to fall off a point
  • # Pointedness of speech or writing; a penetrating or decisive quality of expression.
  • #* 1897 , (Henry James), (What Maisie Knew) :
  • There was moreover a hint of the duchess in the infinite point with which, as she felt, she exclaimed: "And this is what you call coming often ?"
  • #* , chapter=4
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.}}
  • # (railroads, UK, in the plural) A railroad switch.
  • # (usually, in the plural) An area of contrasting colour on an animal, especially a dog; a marking.
  • The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable.
  • # (cricket) A fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover.
  • # A tine or snag of an antler.
  • # (fencing) A movement executed with the sabre or foil.
  • tierce point
  • (heraldry) One of the several different parts of the escutcheon.
  • (nautical) A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails.
  • (historical) A string or lace used to tie together certain garments.
  • (Sir Walter Scott)
  • Lace worked by the needle.
  • point''' de Venise; Brussels '''point
  • (US, slang, dated) An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer.
  • The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game.
  • The dog came to a point .

    Synonyms

    * (location or place) location, place, position, spot * (in geometry) ord * (particular moment in an event or occurrence) moment, ord, time * (sharp tip) end, ord, tip * (arithmetic symbol) decimal point * (opinion) opinion, point of view, view, viewpoint * (unit of measure of success or failure) mark (in a competition) * (color of extremities of an animal)

    See also

    * for the use of point with these verbs

    Derived terms

    * accidental point * accumulation point * ballpoint * basepoint * basis point * beside the point * boiling point * boundary point * branch point * break point * Brownie point * bullet point * cardinal point * case in point * cashpoint * closest point of approach * cloud point * coincidence point * commit point * compass point * consolute point * critical point * data point * decimal point * deep point * demerit point * dew point * Didot point * double point * dropping point * dry point, drypoint * endpoint * entry point * entry point for the eye * eutectic point * experience point * fixed point * fixed-point * flash point * floating-point * focal point * freezing point * game point * get the point * get to the point * gunpoint * hit points * hollow point * inflection point * in point of fact * isoelectric point * isolated point * knifepoint * (l) * limit point * make a point * match point * melting point * midpoint * moot point * needlepoint * nip point * one-point perspective * on point * on the point of * ordinary point * outpoint * percentage point * Pica point * pointable * point bar * point blank * point break * point cloud * point duty * pointed * point function * point group * point-in-line * pointless * point man * point mass * point mutation * point of articulation * point-of-care imaging * point of contact * point of fact * point of inevitability * point of inflection, point of inflexion * point of no return * point of order * point of pride * point of reference * point of sale * point of the compass * point of view * point set * point source * point taken * pointwise * pointy * power point * pressure point * reference point * seal point * set point * silly point * single point of failure * singular point * skill point * sore point * standpoint * starting point * stationary point * sticking point * stress point * take point * take someone's point * talking point * three-point line * three-point perspective * three-point turn * tipping point * to the point * trig point * triple point * transition point * turning point * two-point perspective * vanishing point * vantage point * waypoint * what’s the point? * zero point * zero-point energy

    Descendants

    * Japanese:

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Now must the world point at poor Katharine.
  • * Dryden
  • Point at the tattered coat and ragged shoe.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 23, author=Becky Ashton, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea , passage=Luiz struggled with the movement of Helguson in the box, as he collected a long ball and the Spaniard barged him over, leaving referee Chris Foy little option but to point to the spot.}}
  • To draw attention to something or indicate a direction.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
  • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
  • To direct toward an object; to aim.
  • to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort
  • To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end.
  • to point a dart, a pencil, or (figuratively) a moral
  • to indicate a probability of something
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=December 21, author=Helen Pidd, work=the Guardian
  • , title= Europeans migrate south as continent drifts deeper into crisis , passage=Tens of thousands of Portuguese, Greek and Irish people have left their homelands this year, many heading for the southern hemisphere. Anecdotal evidence points to the same happening in Spain and Italy.}}
  • (ambitransitive, masonry) To repair mortar.
  • (masonry) To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.
  • (stone-cutting) To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool.
  • To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them.
  • (mathematics) To separate an integer from a decimal with a decimal point.
  • To mark with diacritics.
  • (dated) To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate.
  • to point a composition
  • (computing) To direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory.
  • (Internet) To direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name.
  • (nautical) To sail close to the wind.
  • (hunting) To indicate the presence of game by a fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do.
  • * John Gay
  • He treads with caution, and he points with fear.
  • (medicine, of an abscess) To approximate to the surface; to head.
  • (obsolete) To appoint.
  • (Spenser)
  • (dated) To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to point out.
  • * Charles Dickens
  • He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech.
    (Alexander Pope)

    Derived terms

    * point at * pointer * point out * to have a point * point the finger * repoint

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * * * 1000 English basic words ----

    sign

    English

    (wikipedia sign)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) signe, from (etyl) ; root uncertain.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sometimes, also used uncountably) A visible indication.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousness dawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation it merited.}}
  • A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.
  • * Macaulay
  • The shops were, therefore, distinguished by painted signs , which gave a gay and grotesque aspect to the streets.
  • A traffic sign.
  • A meaningful gesture.
  • Any of several specialized non-alphabetic symbols.
  • (astrology) An astrological sign.
  • (mathematics) Positive or negative polarity.
  • A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.
  • *, II.12:
  • And why not, as well as our dumbe men dispute, argue and tell histories by signes ?
  • * 2007 , Marcel Danesi, The Quest for Meaning :
  • In American Sign Language (ASL), for instance, the sign for 'catch' is formed with one hand (in the role of agent) moving across the body (an action) to grasp the forefinger of the other hand (the patient).
  • (uncountable) Sign language in general.
  • An omen.
  • (medicine) A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, is unlikely to be noticed by the patient.
  • A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.
  • (Milton)
    Derived terms
    * air sign * astrological sign * earth sign * fire sign * high sign * Indian sign * minus sign * neon sign * plus sign * road sign * sign language * sign of life * star sign * street sign * traffic sign * vital sign * water sign

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (seigner), (seiner) et al., (etyl) signer et al., and their source, (etyl) ; see Etymology 1, above. Compare (sain).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a mark
  • #
  • #:The Queen signed her letter with the regal signet.
  • # To mark, to put or leave a mark on.
  • #*1726 , Elijah Fenton, The Odyssey of Homer :
  • #*:Meantime revolving in his thoughtful mind / The scar, with which his manly knee was sign'd […].
  • # To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it.
  • #*c. 1597 , (William Shakespeare), The Merchant of Venice :
  • #*:Enquire the Iewes house out, giue him this deed, / And let him signe it […].
  • # More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc.
  • I forgot to sign that letter to my aunt.
  • #
  • #:Just sign your name at the bottom there.
  • #:I received a letter from some woman who signs herself ‘Mrs Trellis’.
  • # To write one's signature.
  • Please sign on the dotted line.
  • # To finalise a contractual agreement to work for a given sports team, record label etc.
  • #*2011 , The Guardian , (headline), 18 Oct 2011:
  • #*:Agents say Wales back Gavin Henson has signed for Cardiff Blues.
  • # To engage (a sports player, musician etc.) in a contract.
  • It was a great month. I managed to sign three major players.
  • To make the sign of the cross
  • # To bless (someone or something) with the sign of the cross; to mark with the sign of the cross.
  • #* Book of Common Prayer
  • #*:We receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, and do sign him with the sign of the cross.
  • #*1971 , , Religion and the Decline of Magic , Folio Society 2012, p. 34:
  • #*:At the baptismal ceremony the child was […] signed with the cross in holy water.
  • # (reflexive) To cross oneself.
  • #*1855 , (Robert Browning), Men and Women :
  • #*:Shaking a fist at him with one fierce arm, / Signing himself with the other because of Christ.
  • To indicate
  • # To communicate using a gesture or signal.
  • #* Sir Walter Scott:
  • I signed to Browne to make his retreat.
  • # To communicate using gestures to (someone).
  • #:He signed me that I should follow him through the doorway.
  • # To use sign language.
  • # To furnish (a road etc.) with signs.
  • Derived terms
    * sign in * signing bonus * sign off * sign on * sign over * sign out * sign up * sign one's life away

    Anagrams

    *