• Spot

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /spÉ’t/
    Rhymes: -É’t
    • US IPA: /spÉ‘t/

    Origin

    From Middle English spot or spotte, cognate with Middle Dutch spotte ("spot speck"), Low German spot, and Old Norse spotti ("small piece"). Also Old English splott ("spot, plot of land").

    Full definition of spot

    Noun

    spot

    (plural spots)
    1. A round or irregular patch on the surface of a thing having a different color, texture etc. and generally round in shape.The leopard is noted for the spots of color in its fur.
    2. A stain or disfiguring mark.I have tried everything, and I can’t get this spot out.
    3. A pimple, papule or pustule.That morning, I saw that a spot had come up on my chin.I think she's got chicken pox; she's covered in spots.
    4. A small, unspecified amount or quantity.Would you like to come round on Sunday for a spot of lunch?
    5. (slang, US) A bill of five-dollar or ten-dollar denomination in dollars.Here's the twenty bucks I owe you, a ten spot and two five spots.
    6. A location or area.I like to eat lunch in a pleasant spot outside.For our anniversary we went back to the same spot where we first met.
      • MiltonThat spot to which I point is Paradise.
      • Wordsworth"A jolly place," said he, "in times of old!
        But something ails it now: the spot is cursed."
      • 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15210221.stmYachvilli made it 6-0 with a second sweet strike from 45 metres after Matt Stevens was penalised for collapsing a scrum, and then slid another penalty just wide from the same spot.
    7. A parking space.
      • 2011, March 23, We asked mayoral candidates: Do you support 'dibs' on parking spots?, Del Valle has the blessing of a garage, so he doesn't have to claim “dibs” on shoveled street spots himself, he said.
    8. (sports) An official determination of placement.The fans were very unhappy with the referee's spot of the ball.
    9. A bright lamp; a spotlight.
    10. (US, advertising) A brief advertisement or program segment on television.Did you see the spot on the news about the shoelace factory?
    11. Difficult situation; predicamentShe was in a real spot when she ran into her separated husband while on a date.
    12. (gymnastics, dance, weightlifting) One who spots (supports or assists a maneuver, or is prepared to assist if safety dictates); a spotter
    13. (soccer) penalty spot
      • 2011, January 8, Chris Bevan, Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds, The Gunners dominated for long periods but, against the run of play, Denilson fouled Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass put Leeds ahead from the spot.
    14. The act of spotting or noticing something.- You've misspelled "terrapin" here.''- Whoops. Good spot.
    15. A variety of the common domestic pigeon, so called from a spot on its head just above the beak.
    16. A food fish (Liostomus xanthurus) of the Atlantic coast of the United States, with a black spot behind the shoulders and fifteen oblique dark bars on the sides.
    17. The southern redfish, or red horse, which has a spot on each side at the base of the tail.
    18. (in the plural, brokers' slang, dated) Commodities, such as merchandise and cotton, sold for immediate delivery.
    19. An autosoliton.

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from spot (noun)

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To see, find; to pick out, notice, locate, distinguish or identifyTry to spot the differences between these two pictures.
    2. (finance) To loan a small amount of money to someone.I’ll spot you ten dollars for lunch.
    3. (ambitransitive) To stain; to leave a spot (on).Hard water will spot if it is left on a surface.a garment spotted with mould
    4. To remove, or attempt to remove, a stain.I spotted the carpet where the child dropped spaghetti.
    5. (gymnastics, dance, weightlifting, climbing) To support or assist a maneuver, or to be prepared to assist if safety dictates.I can’t do a back handspring unless somebody spots me.
    6. (dance) To keep the head and eyes pointing in a single direction while turning.Most figure skaters do not spot their turns like dancers do.
    7. To stain; to blemish; to taint; to disgrace; to tarnish, as reputation.
      • Sir Philip SidneyMy virgin life no spotted thoughts shall stain.
      • Beaumont and FletcherIf ever I shall close these eyes but once,
        May I live spotted for my perjury.
    8. To cut or chip (timber) in preparation for hewing.

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