Dictionary

finger-point en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of finger point.
   alt of finger point
   • Pederson capably channeled the emotions of every Dodgers fan in the building, punctuating his rowdy trip around the bases with a fist in the air, a chest-thump, a get-on-your-feet gesture to the crowd and a double-barreled finger-point to his dugout. 2017 November 1, Dave Sheinin, “Dodgers beat Astros, and an extraordinary World Series fittingly moves to Game 7”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 02 Nov 2017:
   • Someone yelled, “I love you,” and the president gave a finger-point and his standard: “Love you back.” 2013 February 4, Christi Parsons, Kathleen Hennessey, “Obama takes second-term agenda to the campaign trail”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Nov 2019:
   • “What I don’t want to have happen is a finger-point, this is all Willson’s fault. It’s not,” Mozeliak said. 2023 May 7, Katie Woo, Ken Rosenthal, “Exclusive: Cardinals’ John Mozeliak on why Willson Contreras’ move to OF is off”, in The Athletic, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jul 2025:
   • The finger-point to no one in particular is also effective. This worked especially well for ballads. 1990 February 15, Todd Allan Yasui, “Richard Marx”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Aug 2017:
   • In Calgary, the most interesting recipient of a finger-point has been 26-year-old star winger Johnny Gaudreau. With only 5 goals and 18 points to start the year, and shooting a measly 7.8% — well-below last season’s 14.7% and his career average of 12.5% — some have called for the Flames to explore trade options for Gaudreau before his value drops. 2019 November 22, Sean Tierney, “The case for keeping Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary (because he hasn’t been as bad as it seems)”, in The Athletic, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jul 2025:
   • [Armando] Iannucci describes a hand gesture she perfected that he particularly admired, “a clenched thumb thing” used only by politicians “that no one else does in real life.” “It’s not a fist, and it’s not a finger-point,” Louis-Dreyfus explains. “You could call it a ‘thist.’ You make a fist and then you move your thumb on top of the bent fingers, like you’re ready to have a thumb fight with someone. It’s not a natural human gesture. It tries to straddle both sides, you know? To be powerful, but not aggressive.” 2012 April 12, Carina Chocano, “Julia Louis-Dreyfus Takes the White House”, in The New York Times Magazine, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 16 Apr 2012:

Forms

finger-point en · VERB

Meanings

1. (intransitive, with at) To point with a finger (at someone or something).
   • He was encouraged to finger-point at words while reading. 1975, Eleanor Frances Brown, “Case Studies”, in Bibliotherapy and Its Widening Applications, Metuchen, N.J.: The Scarecrow Press, →ISBN, page 374:
   • At times, he looked at the gulf of dark heads looking up at him as if to a god. At times, he finger-pointed at the horizon, to the enemy that existed anywhere out there, somewhere. 2001, Jorge Reyes, “Fidel”, in Rediscovering Cuba: A Personal Memoir, Lincoln, Neb.: Writers Club Press, →ISBN, page 69:
   • Last Wednesday, Graham and George Washington’s Tom Tate almost came to blows after a finger-pointing episode. […] Graham does not finger-point to show for fans. He does it because it comes to mind in the natural flow of the game, as it comes to every player’s mind. 1979 January 5, Betty Cuniberti, “Ernest Graham”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jul 2025:
   • Mr. Strzok smirked as the joint committee members fought one another, yelled for points of order or parliamentary inquiries, talked over one another and finger-pointed. 2018 July 16, Michael Bloomer, “Peter Strzok’s hearing made everyone look bad”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jul 2018:
2. (figuratively, informal, intransitive, with at) To assign blame (to) or accuse (someone or something).
   • As the family crumbles, society finger-points: “First, it was teachers and schools; it must be their fault. Then single mothers; it must be their fault. Now, we’re moving on to fathers,” [Richard] Louv writes. 1993 June 17, Beverly Beyette, “In Your (Celebrity) Dreams”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jul 2025:
   • The spokesman for the White House, Ari Fleischer, said it was “time for everybody concerned to take a deep breath, to stop finger-pointing and to work well together.” 2002 September 26, Carl Hulse, Todd S[tanley] Purdum, “Daschle Defends Democrats’ Stand on Security”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 19 Nov 2018:
   • More flagrantly, the Delhi police themselves closed some 241 cases after survivors finger-pointed particular senior officers. 2014 October 31, Jasmeet K. Ahuja, “India’s new prime minister promised to investigate a genocide against Sikhs. Why hasn’t he?”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 31 Oct 2014:
   • The rumor that the four “Sex and the City” girls were really four gay men was merely urban legend, she said, and finger-pointed conservative author Ann Coulter as its source. 2003 August 7, Susan Carpenter, “More glamour, dish from the ‘Sex’-y gal”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Jul 2025:

Forms

Deriveds

finger-pointy

Relateds

finger point · finger-pointing