pointen.
/pɔɪnt/, /pwãt/, U.S. /pɔɪnt/, /pwɑnt/ Ballet.
The tip of the toe; = point n.1 22h. Also: the action or an act of rising on to on the tips of the toes. on pointe: = on point at point n.1 22h. Cf. en pointe adv.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > dancing > ballet > [noun] > tips of toes
pointe1846
point1912
1830 R. Barton tr. C. Blasis Code of Terpsichore (ed. 2) vi. 505 To waltz properly, all the beats, or tems, should be clearly marked, being attentive not to turn upon les pointes, or toes, in the same beats.]
1846 Musical World 21 Nov. 587/2 The pirouette and the pointe, which she achieves with great facility.
1850 Times 26 Aug. 5/4 Her executive powers, her ‘pointes’ especially, were unanimously praised.
1920 Dancing Times Feb. 413/1 Second and fourth couples run on the pointe under arch round first and third couples.
1949 Ballet Ann. 3 93 The advent of the Italian ballerina and her steel-like pointes and brilliant fouettés.
1963 P. van Praagh & P. Brinson Choreogr. Art iv. 29 The support of the shoe enabled her to turn and travel on pointe.
1987 Atlantic Mar. 88/2 There has always been something slightly stilted about the phrases Tharp makes for women on pointe.
2002 C. Lee Ballet in Western Culture vii. 142 The ballerina's increasing use of her pointes made her balance more precarious and required highly attentive partnering.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
pointe step n.
ΚΠ
1912 Dancing Times Aug. 449/2 Various Pointe Steps and..Enchaînements of Steps on the Pointes.
2000 Dance Mag. (Nexis) 1 Apr. 93 If the next movement is a jump or a pointe step off both feet, the dancer will keep her weight equally on the balls of both feet.
pointe work n.
ΚΠ
1920 Dancing Times Dec. 182/2 The damage that can be done by too early pointe work is incalculable.
1995 Independent 27 Feb. 20/5 They want to do contemporary dance, they think Swan Lake is nothing to do with them. They think pointe work is awful; they think the fifth position is stupid.
C2.
pointe shoe n. a shoe with a strengthened toe for dancing on pointe; = point shoe n. (b) at point n.1 Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > footwear > shoe or boot > shoe > [noun] > types of > for specific purpose > for dancing
trippera1847
ballet shoe1858
ballet slipper1880
ballet pump1914
pointe shoe1951
ballerina1952
1951 P. Crowle Moira Shearer xxiv. 87 Once the stage was so glassy that she had to wear rubber on her pointe shoes.
2000 Daily Tel. 22 May 19/1 Soon Billy has secretly swapped his boxing gloves for a pair of pointe shoes.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1846