different between pointed vs acuate

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: poin?t?d, IPA^(key): /?p??nt?d/

Verb

pointed

1. simple past tense and past participle of point

Adjective

pointed (comparative more pointed, superlative most pointed)

1. (comparable) Sharp, barbed; not dull.

   The warrior brandished a pointed spear.

2. (not comparable) In animals, having a coat pattern with points, that is, darkening of the extremities.

   The Siamese is a pointed breed of cat.

3. (comparable, of a comment or inference) Directed negatively at a person or topic.
   • 1863 February 21, “Important from Washington”, in The New York Times:

     Attention has been called to the report in a New-York paper, which has been made the subject of pointed comment […]

   • 2013 June 18, Simon Romero, "Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders," New York Times (retrieved 21 June 2013):

     After a harsh police crackdown last week fueled anger and swelled protests, President Dilma Rousseff, a former guerrilla who was imprisoned under the dictatorship and has now become the target of pointed criticism herself, tried to appease dissenters by embracing their cause on Tuesday.

   • 1910 September 3, “Taft Is Not Pleased by Roosevelt Plan”, in The New York Times:

     President Taft to-day had a pointed comment for the "new nationalism" that his predecessor has been launching in the West.

4. (topology, algebraic topology, of a topological space) That has a named, but otherwise arbitrary, point (called the basepoint) that remains unchanged during subsequent discussion and is kept track of during all operations.

Synonyms

• (sharp): pointy, sharp

Antonyms

• (sharp): blunt

Derived terms

• Earth-pointed
• pointedly

Translations

Anagrams

• opted in, pitoned

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin acu?tus, past participle of acu?re, variant of Classical Latin acuere, present active infinitive of acu? (“I sharpen”), from acus (“needle”).

Pronunciation

• (adjective) IPA^(key): /?æk.ju.?t/
• (verb) IPA^(key): /?æk.ju.e?t/

Adjective

acuate (comparative more acuate, superlative most acuate)

1. Sharpened; sharp-pointed.

Verb

acuate (third-person singular simple present acuates, present participle acuating, simple past and past participle acuated)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To sharpen; to make pungent; to quicken.
   • 1764, Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury, The Life of Edward Lord Herbert of Cherbury

     wicked dispositions shou'd have knowledge to acuate their ill intentions