finger-pointv.
/ˈfɪŋɡəpɔɪnt/, U.S. /ˈfɪŋɡərˌpɔɪnt/ 1. transitive. To point a finger at (a person) in order to mock, accuse, or otherwise draw attention to him or her; (hence) to accuse, to blame.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > accusation, charge > accuse [verb (transitive)]
edwitec825
witec893
accuseOE
bespeaka1000
forwrayOE
atwiteOE
blamea1300
impugn1377
publishc1384
defamea1387
appeach1430
becryc1440
surmisea1485
arguea1522
infame1531
insimulate1532
note1542
tax1548
resperse1551
finger-point1563
chesoun1568
touch1570
disclaim1590
impeach1590
intent1613
question1620
accriminate1641
charge1785
cheek1877
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > hold in contempt [verb (transitive)] > express contempt of > by gesture
finger-point1563
to bite the thumb at1573
fig1600
tweak1604
to make horns at1607
rump1737
to snap one's fingers at1806
to give (a person) the finger1874
scuff1897
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > blame > [verb (transitive)]
accuseOE
witea1000
blamec1200
lastc1225
awreakc1275
friec1300
lack1340
impugn1377
aretc1386
default1489
remord1522
culpate1548
tax1548
finger-point1563
witen1589
attask1608
refounda1653
thank1667
bumble1675
to take to task1682
twitter1749
1563 L. Humphrey Nobles or of Nobilitye sig. biv Euery where, in ye churches, & common assemblies of the city, mock & fingerpoint euery vertuous & learned man.
1829 Gentleman's Mag. Jan. 42/1 If Neele has omitted Falstaff, he has finger-pointed Touchstone to our notice, as the first of all clowns.
1938 J. Berger Bowleg Bill 114 I sets down my drawbucket. I marches to the rail. I fingerpoints him head-on.
1975 Amer. School Board Jrnl. Apr. 29/1 One of Aspin's colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives finger pointed the entire House for devising a work schedule that..seemed something of a boondoggle.
2005 N. M. Vo Vietnamese Boat People vii. 87 He was dismissed from school for refusing to finger point the students who..smeared feces in the classrooms.
2.
a. intransitive. To point one's index finger, especially in order to draw attention to someone or something.
ΚΠ
1842 C. Whitehead Richard Savage II. ix. 284 There was my devilish mother in a side-box, gay and giggling, finger-pointing, and expounding into the ear of the smirking and self-satisfied Sinclair.
1938 J. Berger Bowleg Bill 32 I fingerpoints to the lady, swimming at the end of the marline,..and I figures my duty is done.
1981 H. Miller Common Sense Bk. Puppy & Dog Care iv. 47 Use the other hand to fingerpoint as you command ‘Quiet!’
2001 New Castle (Pa.) News 1 Dec. 4 They will be able to finger point to every word as the voice tells the story.
b. intransitive. To make an accusation or allegation about someone or something; to cast blame. Cf. to point the finger (of scorn, derision, etc.) at point v.1 10c.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > accusation, charge > accuse [verb (intransitive)]
wrayc725
mean?c1225
accusec1384
surmise1528
incuse1570
object1611
appeacha1616
aggravate1672
finger-point1959
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > blame > [verb (intransitive)]
to say black is a person's eye (also eyebrow, nail, etc.)a1450
remord1522
tax1589
finger-point1959
1959 Variety 23 Sept. 3/2 (heading) Showmen slow to finger-point at their landlords.
1990 Daily Herald (Chicago) 15 Jan. 6 The Stuart case has provided yet another opportunity to finger-point—to yell ‘racism’.
2001 A. F. Alkhafaji Corporate Transformation & Restructuring 248 Effective meetings are conducted to identify problems, not to finger point and assign blame.
2011 B. Dattner Blame Game vi. 164 These two presidents clearly believed that the best leaders neither finger-point at others nor focus on getting credit for themselves.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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