punctuation
Use Punctuation in a sentence
tʃuˈeɪ noun
1.
the practice or system of using certain conventional marks or characters in writing or printing in order to separate elements and make the meaning clear, as in ending a sentence or separating clauses.
2.
the act of punctuating.
3.
punctuation marks.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To punctuation
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Punctuation
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
punctuation (ˌpʌŋktjʊˈeɪʃən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the use of symbols not belonging to the alphabet of a writing system to indicate aspects of the intonation and meaning not otherwise conveyed in the written language |
| 2. | the symbols used for this purpose |
| 3. | the act or an instance of punctuating |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
punctuation
1539, "pointing of the psalms," from M.L. punctuationem (nom. punctuatio) "a marking with points," from punctuatus, pp. of punctuare "to mark with points or dots," from L. punctus "a prick" (see point). Meaning "system of inserting pauses in written matter" is recorded from 1661.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Abstain from the exuberant use of punctuation marks.
In a different thread, someone made the point that emails are informal and hence poor punctuation and poor grammar are acceptable.
Figures of speech, parentheses, and punctuation demand notice.
It makes me question though how journalists come up with the punctuation in supposedly verbal quotes.
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