the pointy end
1. humorous slang The front of a boat, used especially in reference to cruise ships. There's a full gym up near the pointy end, if you're feeling a little sluggish during the cruise. Let's go up to the pointy end and see if we can spot the whales breaching!
2. humorous slang The tip of a blade, especially a sword. When he first started fencing, he barely even knew where the pointy end went—now he's one of the top fencers in the country.