pointy end

plural pointy ends · alternative pointier end · alternative pointiest end

1. AustraliaThe part of something which is the most extreme in some aspect (for example, the most difficult, the latest chronologically or the highest numerically).

   They were getting to the pointy end of the season, only a couple of months until the finals.

   2019, Jacquie Underdown, Meet Me in the Middle (Wattle Valley, #2), HarperCollins Australia, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   Lance has nothing to worry about. Others may; some young idiot is going to see an opportunity to take advantage of a possibly-clean pointy end of the pack and do something stupid, thinking he might get away with it.

   2010 June 24, Mike Jacoubowsky, “Lance Armstrong pulls out of the Tour de France !!!”, in rec.bicycles.racing (Usenet), message-ID <mNSdnc5qYtPBt7_RnZ2dnUVZ_qCdnZ2d@earthlink.com>

   It would be a surprise if this wasn't a key focus for all clubs in the 'Big Dance' at the pointy end of the year.

   2018, Sam Mitchell, Relentless, Macmillan Publishers Aus., →ISBN

   2018 November 28, Young, Andy, “Industry urged to engage with Sydney’s late-night trading plan”, in The Shout, archived from https://www.theshout.com.au/news/industry-urged-to-engage-with-sydneys-late-night-trading-plan/ on 27 August 2020. But the point I really want to make is that we need you, as the industry, to help make people care about [this plan]. The public consultation is the pointy end of this whole process for the 'late night map of fun'.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see pointy, end.

   at the pointy end of the plane