▪ I. † punct, n. Obs.
Also 6 Sc. punt.
[ad. L. punct-um point.]
= point n.1 in various senses.
1. A dot, spot, speck: = point n.1 A. 2.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvi. lxviii. (Bodl. MS.), Marble purpurites..is rodye wiþ punctis amonge. 1516 Inv. Roy. Wardr. (1815) 24 Ane saferon with punctis of gold. |
2. A stop in punctuation: = point n.1 A. 3 a.
| c 1620 A. Hume Brit. Tongue (1865) 34 The round punct concludes an assertion... The tailed punct concludes an interrogation. |
3. Sc. a. An item, detail: = point n.1 A. 5. b. A particle, jot: = point n.1 A. 6.
| 1499 Exch. Rolls Scotl. XI. 393 The Punctis to be Inquirit at the Inqueist. 1563–4 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 263 The saidis Lordis ordinis Johne Johnestoun to insert thir puntis in the saidis bukis. c 1575 Balfour Practicks (1754) 172 He fulfillit not the punctis and clausis contenit in the said infeftment. 1653 R. Sanders Physiogn. 270 Exact in the least punct of the measure thereof. |
4. As a measure of time, or of the magnitude of an eclipse: = point n.1 A. 10, 11.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ix. ix. lf. 94/1 (Bodl. MS.) A quadraunt conteyneþ sixe houres and an houre foure punctes, and a puncte ten momentes. 1561 Eden Arte Nauig. ii. viii. 35 For the quantitie of these Eclipses, the Astronomers deuide into .xii. equall partes, as well the Diameter of the Sunne as of the Moone. And these partes they call fyngers, punctes or prickes. |
5. Geom. = point n.1 A. 18.
| 1639 Nabbes Encomium on Steeple at Worc. Wks. 1887 II. 239 Infinite in shew As those small puncts, from whose concretion grow What else may be divided. 1653 R. Sanders Physiogn. 273 As number [depends] on a unite, and a line upon a punct or point. |
6. A moment, instant: = point n.1 A. 23.
| 1513 Douglas æneis xii. xiii. 29 Now is cum the extreme lattir punct. 1561 Eden Arte Nauig. Pref., At the same instant & punct of time it maketh day in one place & nyght on the opposite parte. 1695 W. Alingham Geom. Epit. 34 At the same punct of time. |
▪ II. † punct, v. Obs. rare.
[Collateral form of point v.1 and v.2, after med.L. punctāre.]
1. trans. To appoint: = point v.2 2. Sc.
| 1473 Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 169 With all vthyr condecionis as it is punctyt in Thomas Kantis tak. |
2. To prick, pierce: = point v.1 1.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Rich. III 28 b, Her breste she puncted, her fayre here she tare. |