A soldier who is assigned to a position some distance ahead of a patrol as a lookout.
A man who has a crucial, often hazardous role in the forefront of an enterprise: "[He] has traditionally been the administration's point man on affirmative-action issues, making frequent public appearances to present and clarify the administration's views"(Christian Science Monitor).
n. a ballplayer who habitually scores points. : Fred is supposed to be point man for our team, but tonight he is not doing so well.
n. anyone whose job it is to score successes against the opposition. : The president expects the secretary of defense to be point man for this new legislation.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History
point man
"one who leads a military patrol in formation in a jungle, etc.," 1944, from point (n.) in military sense of "small leading party of an advance guard" (1589).
