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outpoint

C1
UK/aʊtˈpɔɪnt/US/ˌaʊtˈpɔɪnt/

Formal, Technical

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Definition

Meaning

To score more points than an opponent in a contest or competition.

To surpass or defeat in scoring; in sailing/navigation, to sail closer to the wind than another vessel.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily used in contexts of direct competition with a numerical score or in nautical terminology. The sailing meaning is highly specialized.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning. Both use 'outscore' more frequently in sports contexts.

Connotations

Slightly more formal than 'outscore' or 'beat'. The nautical sense is rare in everyday use.

Frequency

Low frequency in both varieties. More likely in formal sports reporting or historical nautical texts.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
heavily outpointclearly outpointconsistently outpoint
medium
manage to outpointexpected to outpointoutpoint the opposition
weak
narrowly outpointeasily outpointoutpoint the champion

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[SUBJ] outpoints [OBJ] (in [COMPETITION])

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

defeatbeatsurpassovercome

Neutral

outscoreoutperform

Weak

topbetterexceed

Vocabulary

Antonyms

lose tobe outscored bytrailfall behind

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Rare. Could be used metaphorically for outperforming a competitor in metrics.

Academic

Rare. Might appear in sports science or historical analysis of competitions.

Everyday

Very rare. 'Outscore' or 'beat' are far more common.

Technical

Used in boxing scoring and sailing/navigation contexts.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

  • The champion managed to outpoint the challenger over twelve rounds.
  • In the regatta, our boat was able to outpoint the others in strong winds.

American English

  • The Lakers outpointed the Celtics in a high-scoring game.
  • The experienced skipper knew how to outpoint the fleet upwind.

Examples

By CEFR Level

B1
  • The home team outpointed the visitors in the final quarter.
B2
  • Despite a strong start, the young boxer was outpointed by the more experienced fighter.
  • To win the race, they needed a boat that could outpoint its rivals in all conditions.
C1
  • The detailed analysis showed that the incumbent was consistently outpointed by the challenger in every televised debate.
  • Mastering the technique to outpoint another vessel to windward is a key skill in competitive sailing.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: In a boxing match, you need MORE POINTS to OUT-POINT your opponent.

Conceptual Metaphor

COMPETITION IS WAR (to outpoint is to achieve a numerical victory).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Avoid literal translation as 'вне точки'. The concept is 'набрать больше очков' or 'обыграть по очкам'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'outpoint' for non-scoring competitions (e.g., a race). Confusing it with 'outrun' or 'outlast'.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The underdog surprised everyone by managing to the reigning champion in a unanimous decision.
Multiple Choice

In which context is 'outpoint' LEAST likely to be used correctly?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

'Outpoint' is often used in contexts where points are awarded subjectively (e.g., boxing, debating), while 'outscore' is more general for any numerical score. 'Outpoint' is also the correct nautical term.

No, it has low frequency. 'Beat' or 'outscore' are far more common in everyday language, except in specific technical contexts like boxing reporting or sailing.

No, 'outpoint' is only used as a verb. The related noun is 'outpointing'.

In sailing, it means to sail closer to the direction of the wind than another vessel, thus gaining an advantageous position.