# Meaning of: "You're putting too fine a point on \[your argument\]."
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 27, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795 "2003-10-27T05:16:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/1 "2003-10-27T05:16:54Z")
I’ve heard this phrase 2-3 times in the past year and have no clear understanding of what the speaker really means.
Can you please explain–and provide an example?
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### Author:  [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/2 "2003-10-27T05:19:35Z")
Well, if you are sharpening something, you make it thinner when you sharpen the point. The thinner it is, the more likely it is to break.
Could that be it?
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/3 "2003-10-27T05:24:12Z")
You’re getting into too much unnecessary detail and/or sidestepping of something that can be stated simply and bluntly.
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/4 "2003-10-27T05:46:01Z")
Oh yeah – examples:
_Also, Miranda is supposed to be only 15 or 16, and not to put too fine a point on it, Ms Price is far too old to conceivably portray that age._
_“What really bothers me is the morality of it,” Mr Follett writes. “Not to put too fine a point on it, the whole business stinks.”_
_My favourite example of this is the apocryphal story of “Passion Fruit”, a gigantic oil painting slashed with red, crimson, purple and scarlet. The paint is fingers thick. The canvas is draped and swathed. It is also, not to put too fine a point on it, sexy._
_As is so often the case when dealing with total generalizations, it is useful to think about a specific example. This, not to put too fine a point on it, is the basis of all theoretical work._
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### Author:  [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/5 "2003-10-27T07:31:23Z")
As **Gary T** implies, the phrase is usually “not to put too fine a point on it”. You can replace the whole thing with “frankly”.
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### Author:  [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/6 "2003-10-27T11:41:12Z")
The phrase is “ **not** to put too fine a point on it”. I’ve never heard “You’re putting too fine a point on” used, but I suppose it’s similar. Unless it’s one of those illogical corruptions like “I could care less.”
The original phrase means; “I am stating this bluntly because I don’t want to go into specific details that can be otherwise inferred.” Usually because the speaker doesn’t want to draw undue attention to unpleasant or inpolite facts.
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### Author:  [@Asteroide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asteroide)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/7 "2003-10-27T11:49:58Z")
I’ve always taken this expression to be the same metaphor as _to put it bluntly_ -
Having a disclaimer / warning function ie I’m about to speak in a direct and possibly offensive manner.
(Not to put too fine a point on it…)
Pretty much as per Futile Gesture on preview…
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### Author:  [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-youre-putting-too-fine-a-point-on-your-argument/209795/8 "2003-10-27T11:51:39Z")
I haven’t heard that phrase used before, but it would seem to indicate the arguee thinks you’re missing the point.
For example,
A - “I think the problem of jaywalkers can be solved with big trucks that go around running people over”
B - “That’s a dumb idea. You’d have to keep washing out the grill”
where you could say that Mr. B may have a point, but it’s against a trivial subsection of my overall masterful plan. (Hrm. Must price out trucks…)