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- DictionarySpot/spät/
noun
- 1. a small round or roundish mark, differing in color or texture from the surface around it: "ladybugs have black spots on their red wing covers" Similar markpatchpopdotspeckspeckleflecksmudgesmearstainblotchblotsplashdaubtechnical:petechiainformal:splotchsploshsplodgerare:maculemacula
- ▪ a small mark or stain: "a spot of mildew on the wall" Similar discolorationfreckleliver spotage spotmolebirthmarkport wine stainstrawberry marktechnical:nevus
- ▪ a pimple. Similar pimplepustuleblemishblackheadboilswellingeruptionwenstypockpockmarkacnerashplooktechnical:comedoinformal:zitwhiteheadhickeyrare:papuleblebwhelkblain
- ▪ a moral blemish or stain.
- ▪ a pip on a domino, playing card, or die. North American
- 2. a particular place or point: "a nice secluded spot" Similar placelocationsitepositionpointsituationscenesettinglocalelocalityareaneighborhoodregionvenuetechnical:locus
- ▪ a small feature or part of something with a particular quality: "his bald spot"
- ▪ (in sports) an advantage allowed to a player as a handicap.
- ▪ a position within a listing; a ranking: "the runner-up spot"
- ▪ a place for an individual item within a show: "she couldn't do her usual singing spot in the club" Similar positionplacenicheslotspaceinformal:window
- 3. a small amount of something: informal British "a spot of rain" Similar bitlittlesomesmall amountmorselmodicumbitedropsplashinformal:smidgensmidgetadscoosh
- 4. denoting a system of trading in which commodities or currencies are delivered and paid for immediately after a sale: "trading in the spot markets"
- 5. short for spotlight
- 6. a banknote of a specified value: informal North American "a ten-spot"
- 7. a bar or other drinking establishment (usually in a private home in a township) that operates without an official permit: South African "her father was at the spot with his friends"
verb
- 1. see, notice, or recognize (someone or something) that is difficult to detect or that one is searching for: "Andrew spotted the ad in the paper" Similar noticeseeobservediscerndetectperceivemake outpick outdistinguishrecognizeidentifylocatecatch sight ofglimpsesightmarkremarkinformal:clockliterary:descryespy
- ▪ recognize that (someone) has a particular talent, especially for sports or show business: "we were spotted by a talent scout"
- ▪ locate an enemy's position, typically from the air: "they were spotting for enemy aircraft"
- ▪ (in weight training, gymnastics, etc.) observe (a performer) in order to minimize the risk of accidents or injuries.
- 2. mark with spots: "the velvet was spotted with stains" Similar stainmarkfleckspeckleblotchmottlesmudgestreaksplashspatterbespatterdirtysoilinformal:splotchsploshsplodgeliterary:besmirchsmirch
- ▪ become marked with spots: "a damp atmosphere causes the flowers to spot"
- ▪ cover (a surface or area) thinly: "thorn trees spotted the land"
- ▪ stain or sully the moral character or qualities of: archaic "they might be spotted merely with the errors introduced by Luther" Similar sullystaintarnishblackentaintblemish
- 3. place (a billiard ball or football) on its designated starting point.
- 4. give or lend (money) to (someone): informal North American "I'll spot you $300"
- ▪ allow (an advantage) to (someone) in a game or sport: "the higher-rated team spots the lower-rated team the difference in their handicaps"
Word Origin Middle English: perhaps from Middle Dutch spotte. The sense ‘notice, recognize’ arose from the early 19th century slang use ‘note as a suspect or criminal’.
Scrabble Points: 6
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1P
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