POINT, in poetry, denotes a lively brisk turn or conceit, usually found or expected at the close of an epigram. See POETRY, n° 169.
Point-Blank, in gunnery, denotes the shot of a gun levelled horizontally, without either mounting or sinking the muzzle of the piece.—In shooting point-blank, VOL. XV. Part I.
the shot or bullet is supposed to go directly forward in a straight line to the mark: and not to move in a curve, as bombs and highly elevated random-shots do.—When a piece stands upon a level plane, and is laid level, the distance between the piece and the point where the shot touches the ground first, is called the point-blank range of that piece; but as the same piece ranges more or less, according to a greater or less charge, the point-blank range is taken from that of a piece loaded with such a charge as is used commonly in action. It is therefore necessary that these ranges of all pieces should be known; since the gunner judges from thence what elevation he is to give to his pieces when he is either farther from or nearer to the object to be fired at; and this he can do pretty nearly by sight, after considerable practice.