P O I
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P O I
British artillery call the line of metalelevation ; which, in most guns, is be-tween one and two degrees.
Point of light , (point de vue , Fr.) )
Point of the eye, (point dfail, Fr.) $called also principal point, and perspec-tive point , is a point in perspective, inthe axis of the eye, or in the central raywhere the same is intersected by thehorizon. It is called the point if theeye , or ocular point , because directly op-posed to the eye of the person, who isto view the piece or object.
Sicfe-PoiNT, the point of oblique view’,or of the side, is when we see the objectaside of us, and only as it were aslant,or with the corner of one eye, the eye,however, being all the while opposite tothe point of light; in which case, weview the object laterally or sideways, andit presents to us two faces.
Point du jour , Fr. break of day;dawn.
De Point en blanc , Fr. point-blank.
A Point, Fr. in time.
A Point nomme , Fr. seasonably.
De P * -1 n t en pointy Fr. thoroughly;completely.
Point de niveau , Fr. in levelling, theextremities or ends of an horizontal lineseen by the eye.
Potnt de partagey Fr. the highestpitch to which water may he raised, soas to let it flow one way or the other.
Point physique, Fr. that object whichis least visible, or of which the eye isleast sensible, marked by a pen, or dot-ted by the point of a compass.
POINTAL, Fr. any piece of timber,or upright, which serves to supportbeams, or rafters that have given way;or which can be used to sustain anyother object.
POINTE de terre, Fr. a point ofland, a cape.
La Pointe, Fr. the point of thesword.
Pointe d’un bastion , Fr. the exteriorangle of a bastion.
La Pointe de Valle droite d'unearm'te , Fr. the head of the right wing ofan army.
POINTER, Fr. to point : as pointerun canon , to point a cannon. TheFrench also say, affuter un canon.
Pointer une troupe ennemie. Fr. tofall unexpectedly upon a body of theenemy, and to throw it into disorder bya sudden attack with the bayonet, pike,or sword.
POINTEUR , Fr. the man who pointsa gun.
POINTEURS , Fr. levellers; officersin the old French artillery, who weresubordinate to the extraordinary com-missaries; but who were never employedexcept upon Held service.
POINTING of' a gun or mortar isthe placing either the one or the other,so as to hit the object, or to come asnear it as possible.
POINTS, Fr. holes, as Points desetriers, stirrup holes.
Points of command, all the particularsof a military injunction or order.
Cardinal Points, (points cardinaux,Fr.) the North, South, East, and West.A tent cannot be properly pitched, un-less these four points are minutely at-tended to. The weather-cords deriveall their stay by being correctly carriedto those points.
Points d'appui, Fr. basis, support.The general signification of this term ex-presses the different advantageous posts,such .as castles, fortified villages, &c.which the general of an army takes pos-session of in order to secure his naturalposition. In a more limited sense, theymean those points which are taken up inmovements and evolutions. See Pointof appui.
Vertical Points, (points verticaux,Fr.) two points in the globe, one ofwhich is directly over our heads, andthe other under our feet. They arecalled in astronomy, the zenith and thenadir.
CollateralPoiWTSy (points collateraux,Fr.) two points in the globe where thesun rises and sets, called East andWest, which the French likewise nameorient and Occident , or levant and cou -chant.
POIRE a poudre, Fr. a powder-horn.It is sometimes called Poire, from itsresemblance to a pear.
To POISON a piece , (enclouer unepiece, Ff.) in gunnery, to clog or nailit up.
POISSARDES, Fr. fish-women; Bil-lingsgate sluts. These creatures wereextremely active during the height ofthe French Revolution ; particularly inParis , where they were ironically calledLes dames de la Halle.
In 1789, these ladies paid a visit tothe King and Queen of France , at thecourt of Versailles , accompanied by someof the French guards, &c. and obliged