Fogostemon 
Pogostemon(po- 
go-Hte'mon), n. 
[NL. (I)fsfim- 
tainoH, IHIfi). so 
called in allu- 
sion to the long 
hairs often 
clothing the 
filaments; < Or. 
ircivuv , beard, + 
trriifiuv, warp 
(stamen).] A 
genus of gamo- 
petalous plants 
of the mint 
family, order 
l.nii in in- , and 
tribe Satwreinete, 
type of the subtribe 1'ouoxtemoneie, and charac- 
terised by the four perfect stamens, which are 
protruding, distant, straight, andlittle unequal, 
and by the terminal roundish one-celled an- 
thers, five-toothed calyx, four-cleft corolla with 
one lobe spreading, and the flowers close- 
crowded in large verticillasters, in an inter- 
rupted spike or panicle. There are about 32 species, 
natives of the F.ast Indies, the Malay archipelago, and 
Japan. They are herbs or shrubby plants, with opposite 
leaves, and the numerous small flowers are whitish and 
purple, or of other colors. See patchouli for the principal 
species. 
pogue (pog), M. [< Ir. Gael, poy = W. poc, a 
kiss.] A Kiss. [Irish.] 
I axed her for a poyue, 
The black-eyed saucy rogue, 
For a single little pogue, 
An' she scornful turned away ! 
The Century, XXXVIII. 892. 
POgy (po'gi), n. ; pi. pogirs (-giz). [Also poggy, 
poi/ijie, poe/ie, porgy, etc.] 1. The menhaden, 
Brerottrtia ti/ran>iti. [New England.] 2. A 
kind of small finding-boat used in the Bay of 
Fundy and along the New England coast. Per- 
ley. 
pOgy -catcher (po'gi-kach'er), . A sailing ves- 
sel or steamer employed in the capture of men- 
haden. 
pogy-gull (po'gi-gul), n. A sea-gull found at 
Cape Cod, Massachusetts (where so culled), 
perhaps IMI-US argrntatutt. 
poh (po), iiiterj. Same as pooh. 
pohutukawa (po-hO-tij-kii'wa), n. [Maori: see 
the quotation.] A conspicuous tree, Mrtroxulc- 
ros tomenttmn, growing on rocky coasts in New 
Zealand. It has leathery shining leaven, and is very 
handsome in blossom. Its nark yields a brown dye, and 
Its hard strong reddish wood Is suitable for the frames of 
ships, agricultural Implements, etc. 
Here every headland is crowned with magnificent po- 
Au/uhiin-trees, literally rendered the 'brine-sprinkled,' 
. . . known to the settlers as the Christmas tree, when 
boughs of its glossy green and scarlet are used In church 
decoration as a substitute for the holly-berries of uld Eng- 
land. 
(iiimtiiHff F. Gordon Camming, The Century, XXVII. 920. 
poi (po'i), w. [Hawaiian.] An article of food 
of the Sandwich Islanders, prepared from the 
root of the taro, Coloensin iiiitii/iwriiiii. After 
being mixed with water, the taro-root i* l>caten with a 
pestle till It becomes an adhesive mints like dough ; it is 
then fermented, and in three or four days Is lit for use. 
Also pat. C. W. SlMldanl, South Sea Idyls, p. l:<&. 
/' Is generally eaten from a bowl placed Itetween two 
people, by dipping three fingers into it, giving them a 
twirl round, and then sucking them. 
Lady Braaey, Voyage of Sunbeam, II. xvL 
poignancy (poi 'nan -si), . [< ;wi/nan(0 + 
-<.] 1. The power of stimulating the organs 
of taste; piquancy. 2. Point; sharpness; 
keenness ; power of irritation ; asperity : as, 
the pniijnanry of wit or sarcasm. 3. Pain- 
fulness; keenness: bitterness: as, the poi- 
gnancy of grief. 
poignant (poi' iiant), a. [Early mod. E.poyiuinl, 
< ME. piii/iitinl, < Of, (and .)poiyunul (= Sp. 
Pg. /mill/' ill' = \< . i'iiiii/i ill' , 1 1 HI/ 111 iilf. < L. 1 1 n il- 
gen(t-)s, ppr. of punnere, prick: see pui/inl. 
ami ef. point.'] If. Sharp to the taste; biting; 
piquant; pungi-nt. 
Wo was his cook, bat If his sauce were 
PoynauMt and sharp, and redy al his gere. 
Chaucer, (Jen. ProL to C. T., 1. Sf.2. 
No poignant sauce she knew, nor costly treat ; 
Her hunger gave a relish to her meat. 
Dryden. Cock and Foi, 1. 21. 
2f. Pointed ; keen ; sharp. 
His pounant speare, that many made to Meed. 
flpeiurr, . y., I. Til. IB. 
3. K>'cn : l>ittcr: satirical: hence, telling; 
striking. 
I r,82 
Always replying to the sarcastic remarks of his wife with 
complacency and puii.mant good humour. 
Sir T. More, Family of Sir T. More, Int. to ttopla, p. xlv. 
Example whether for emulation or avoidance, Is neyer 
so poiyiMnt as when presented to us In a striking person. 
allty. Lowell, Books and Libraries. 
4. Severe; piercing; very painful or acute: 
as, poiijiinnt pain or grief. 
Our recent calamity . . . had humbled my wife's pride, 
and blunted it by more poijtnnnt afflictions. 
Qoldtmith, Vicar, x\il. 
= Syn. 3 and 4. Piquant, etc. (see pungent), sharp, pene- 
trating, intense, biting, acrid, caustic. 
poignantly (poi'nant-li), adr. In a poignant, 
stimulating, piercing, or irritating manner; 
with keenness or point. 
poignard, . [F.J Same as poniard. 
poignet (poin), . [< F. poing, fist: see j>oi</.] 
Fist; hand. 
The witnesses which the faction kept In poigne (like 
false dice, high and low Fullhams). to be played forth 
upon plots and to make discoveries as there was occa- 
sion, were now chapfallen. 
Racier A'ortA, Examen, p. 108. (Dane*.) 
point 
small part or weight, moment, point in space, 
etc., prop, a hole punched in, neut. of puttctiu, 
pp. olpungrre, prick, pierce, punch: gee jwneA 1 , 
IIIIHI/I nt (ft. L. punctus (punetii-), a, pricking, 
stinging, also a point, < pungere, prick, punch); 
(6) < OF. points, jxrinete, puinte, F. point*\ t., 
a point, bodkin, small sword, place, etc., also 
sharpness, pungency, etc., = Bp. piinta = Pg. 
ponta = It. punta, {., < ML. puncta, t., a point, 
etc-., fern, of L. punetus, pp. of pungere, prick, 
pierce, punch : seeabove.J I. n. 1. The sharp 
end of something, as of a thorn, pin, needle, 
knife, sword, etc. 
With the egge of the knyfe youre trenchers rp be ye 
reysande 
poimenics (poi-men'iks), n. [< Gr. irntfiiiv, a 
shepherd, LGr. a pastor: see -ic*.] Pastoral 
theology. See pastoral. 
poinadot, . Same as poniard. 
My Peece I must alter to a Poynado, and my Pike to a 
Pickadevant. 
Heyvood, Royal King (Works, ed. Pearson, 1874, VI 70X 
poinardt, . An obsolete form of poniard. 
Poinciana (poin-si-a'na),n. [NL. (Tonrnefort. 
1700), named after Poind, a governor-general 
of the West Indies in the middle of the 17th cen- 
tury, who wrote on the natural history of the 
Antilles.] A genus of leguminous plants of the 
suborder CxHaliriniese and tribe Euc&salpiniese, 
characterized by the five valvate calyx-lobes, 
five nearly equal orbicular petals, ten distinct 
declined stamens, and hard flat two-valved 
many-seeded pods. The 8 species are natives of warm 
regions in eastern Africa, the Mascarene Islands, and west- 
ern India, but have long been introduced Into the West 
Indies and other tropical countries. They are handsome 
trees with blpinnato leaves and showy orange or scarlet 
flowers. / '. ;-."'". with crimson flowers, is known as royal 
peacock-flower, flame acacia, and gold mohur-tree. P. 
pulfherrima, with red and yellow flowers, is the Barbados- 
pride, flower-pride, or flower-fence. /*. Gilliesti is the 
crimson thread-flower. They arc also sometimes called 
flamboyant*. Seey!am/wj/a/. 
poind (poind), r. t. 1. A dialectal (Scotch) form 
of pind or pound'-. 2. To seize ; distrain ; seize 
aud sell under warrant, as a debtor's goods. 
[Scotch.] 
He slew my knight, and poin'd his gear. 
Lament of the Ilifder Witloic (Child's llallads, III. 87). 
poinder (poin'der), i. A dialectal form of 
pindi-r. 
poinding (poin'ding), n. [Verbal n. of poind, r.] 
In Srotrii lair, a process by which a creditor may 
enforce his demand by seizure of movable prop- 
ert V. It Is carried into effect either by sale and payment 
of the proceeds to the creditor, or by appraisal of the goods 
and their delivery to the creditor on account. Personal 
l*<ii:(iin>i cannot I > prosecuted, except against a tenant for 
rent, until the debtor has been charged to pay or perform 
and the days allowed therefor have expired. The right of a 
private creditor to reach things in action and some other 
movables, such as money and ornaments on the person, 
has been questioned. Ural poinding, or poinding qf the 
around, is the remedy of one who is enforcing a lien or 
burden on land, as distinguished from a persona] obliga- 
tion to seize movables found on the land, other than 
those of strangers, and other than those of a tenant in ex- 
cess of rent actually due from him. 
poinette, . See noynct. 
poing (pwan), . [F., the fist, = Sp. pufto = Pg. 
pitiino = It. pngno, < L. pugnun, fist.] In her., 
a fist or closed hand used as a bearing. 
Poinsettia (poin-set'i-il), . [NL. (Graham, 
1836), named after Joel B. Poituett. American 
minister to Mexico, who discovered the plant 
there in 1828.] 1. A former genus of Ameri- 
can apetalous plants of the order Kuphorbiaccte 
and tribe Euphorlrieie, now included as a section 
of the vast genus Kuphorbia. 2. [/. c.] The 
Kuphnrbiii (Pniiixrttia) puMii-rrima, a plant 
much cultivated in conservatories, it la con- 
spicuous for the large scarlet floral leaves surrounding its 
crowded yellowish cymes of small flowers, and Is much 
used for decoration, especially in rlnu hcs. Also called 
Chrultnat-JImrer or Hatter jdncrr, In England lobtlrr-JUrmr 
and Mexican Jtame4ea.t,u\A In Mexico yt/ro drpatqua. 
point 1 (point), n. and n. [< MR. point, /mi/nt. 
jiiiniti. jini/iiti ; < (<i)OY.point,poittet,puint,V. 
point, m., a point, dot, full 8top, period, speck, 
hole, stitch, point of time, moment, difficulty, 
etc., = Sp. pinito = Pg. ponto = li.jmnto, m., = 
( I Fries, iiiint. faint = D. punt = MLG.pwnfa-, LO. 
jui a t, piin t = .M HQ.punct, punt,pnncte,punte, G. 
linnk-t = Icel. pttnktr = Sw. Dan. jnnikt. a point. 
< \i.punctnm, a point, puncture, spot on dice. 
Eight forky arrows from this hand have fled, 
And eight bold heroes by their pointt lie dead. 
Pope, Iliad, viii. 362. 
This barbed the paint of P.'s hatred. 
Dicken*, Great Expectations, IL 217. 
2. That which tapers to or has a sharp end; a 
tapering thing with a sharp apex, (at) A sword. 
Why, I will learn you, by the true judgment of the eye, 
hand, aud foot, to control any enemy's point in the world. 
B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, I. 4. 
(6) In etching, an engraving-tool consisting of a metallic 
point, a sewing-needle or a medium embroidery-needle, 
or a rat-tall file ground to an evenly rounded tapering 
point, not too sharp If intended for use on an etching- 
ground, but much more trenchant if it is to be employed 
in dry-point on the bare copper. 
There were also many fragments of boxwood, on which 
were designs of exquisite beauty, drawn with the point. 
C. T. Heicton, Art and Arclueol., p. 879. 
M In jirinlimj, a projecting pin on a press for marking 
the register by perforating the paper, (d) A small dia- 
mond or fragment of a diamond used for cutting glass. 
(e) A punch used by stone-masons to form narrow ridges 
in the face of a stone which Is to be afterward droned 
down. (/) A wedge-shaped chisel for nigging ashler. (;/) 
A triangular piece of zinc for holding glass in the sash be- 
fore the putty Is put In. (A) pi. In rail., the switches or 
movable guiding-rails ;* junctions or stations. 
For horse traction fixed pointt of chilled cast-iron or 
steel are sufficient, as the driver can turn his horses and 
direct the car on to either line of rails. 
Jincyc. Brit., XXIII. W7. 
(i) A branch of a deer's antler. See antler. 
He was a fine buck of eight paint*. 
T. ItooKwlt, Hunting Trips. 
(j) In backgammon, one of the narrow tapering spaces 
on which the men are placed. (*) pi. Spurs or stout nee- 
dles suitably fastened in a flat l>oard, on which printed 
sheets are placed by passing the needles through the 
point-holes; this is done to insure the exact cutting of 
printed sheets that have uneven margins. Knight, Book- 
binding. 
3. A salient or projecting part ; a part of an 
object projecting abruptly from it, as a peak 
or promontory from the land or coast. 
And the sayde yle Cirigo isdlrectely ayenst the poyntot 
Capo Maleo in Morrea. 
Sir n. Ouy(forde, Pylgrymage, p. 13. 
The splintered point* of the crag are seen, 
With water howling and vexed between. 
H'liiiii.-r. Mogg Megone. 
4. A salient feature or physical peculiarity: 
especially, a feature which determines the ex- 
cellence of an animal ; characteristic ; trait. 
So remarkable was their resemblance (two horses] In 
point*, action, and color that . . . even the grooms came 
out to see. ./. IT. Palmer, After his Kind, p. 226. 
5. The salient feature of a story, discourse, 
epigram, or remark ; that part or feature of a 
saying, etc., which gives it application; the 
directly effective part; hence, the possession 
of such a feature ; force or expression general- 
ly: as, he failed to see the point of the joke; 
his action gave point to his words. 
Every author has a way of his own In bringing his pointt 
to bear. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, L H. 
Both her [Madame de Lleven's] letters and her conver- 
sation are full of point (Irerille, Memoirs, Feb. 8, 1819. 
An epigram now is a short satire closing with a point of 
wit /. Tfliraeli, Amen, of Lit., II. 852. 
6. The precise question or matter in dispute or 
under consideration ; the principal thing to be 
attended to ; the main difficulty to be met or ob- 
viated: as, these are side issues let us come 
to the point. 
He maintained, which was in fact the point at Issue, 
that the opinions held at that day by the Quakers were 
the same that the Ranters had held long ago. 
Southey, Bnnyan, p. 42. 
" You haven't told me about the (ireek yet," says Charles 
Wall, clinging to the point. 
W. M. Baker, New Timothy, p. 11.1. 
7. An indivisible part of an argument, nar- 
rative, or account; a particular; a detail; an 
item. See at all pnintu and in point of, below. 
Where she no point had of dlffaroe no data. 
Itmn. o/ Partenay. 1. 3SK. 
