spot

—spotlike, adj. —spottable, adj.

/spot/, n., v., spotted, spotting, adj.

n.

1. a rounded mark or stain made by foreign matter, as mud, blood, paint, ink, etc.; a blot or speck.

2. something that mars one's character or reputation; blemish; flaw.

3. a small blemish, mole, or lesion on the skin or other surface.

4. a small, circumscribed mark caused by disease, allergic reaction, decay, etc.

5. a comparatively small, usually roundish, part of a surface differing from the rest in color, texture, character, etc.: a bald spot.

6. a place or locality: A monument marks the spot where Washington slept.

7. Usually, spots. places of entertainment or sightseeing interest: We went to a few spots to dance and see the floor shows.

8. See spot announcement.

9. a specific position in a sequence or hierarchy: The choral group has the second spot on the program, right after the dancers. He moved up from second spot to become president of the firm.

10. Cards.

a. one of various traditional, geometric drawings of a club, diamond, heart, or spade on a playing card for indicating suit and value.

b. any playing card from a two through a ten: He drew a jack, a queen, and a three spot.

11. a pip, as on dice or dominoes.

12. Slang. a piece of paper money, almost always indicated as a five- or ten-dollar bill: Can you loan me a five spot until payday?

13. Also called spot illustration. a small drawing, usually black and white, appearing within or accompanying a text.

14. Chiefly Brit. Informal.

a. a small quantity of anything.

b. a drink: a spot of tea.

15. a small croaker, Leiostomus xanthurus, of the eastern coast of the U.S., used as a food fish.

16. spots, Informal. commodities, as grain, wool, and soybeans, sold for immediate delivery.

17. See spot price.

18. Informal. spotlight (def. 1).

19. hit the high spots, Informal. to deal with or include only the major points of interest: With but a limited amount of vacation time, he concentrated on hitting the high spots of Europe.

20. hit the spot, Informal. to satisfy a want or need, as to quench thirst: Iced tea hits the spot during the hot summer months.

21. in a (bad) spot, in an uncomfortable or dangerous predicament: The tourists found themselves in a bad spot after they lost their money in Las Vegas.

22. knock spots off, Brit. Slang. to outdo easily; beat.

23. on the spot,

a. without delay; at once; instantly.

b. at the very place in question.

c. in a difficult or embarrassing position.

d. in a position of being expected to act or to respond in some way.

v.t.

24. to stain or mark with spots: The grease spotted my dress.

25. to remove a spot or spots from (clothing), esp. before dry cleaning.

26. to sully; blemish.

27. to mark or diversify with spots or dots, as of color: We spotted the wall with blue paint.

28. to detect or recognize; locate or identify by seeing: to spot a hiding child.

29. to place or position on a particular place: to spot a billiard ball.

30. to stop (a railroad car) at the exact place required.

31. to scatter in various places: to spot chairs here and there in the room.

32. Informal. spotlight (def. 5).

33. Mil.

a. to determine (a location) precisely on either the ground or a map.

b. to observe (the results of gunfire at or near a target) for the purpose of correcting aim.

34. Photog. to remove spots from (a negative or print) by covering with opaque color.

35. Sports. to give or grant a certain margin or advantage to (an opponent): He spotted the tyro 12 points a game. The champion won, although spotting the challenger twenty pounds.

36. (in gymnastics) to watch or assist (a performer) in order to prevent injury.

37. Slang. to lend: Can you spot me twenty for tonight's game?

v.i.

38. to make a spot; cause a stain: Ink spots badly.

39. to become spotted, as some fabrics when spattered with water.

40. Mil. to serve or act as a spotter.

adj.

41. Radio, Television.

a. pertaining to the point of origin of a local broadcast.

b. broadcast between announced programs.

42. made, paid, delivered, etc., at once: a spot sale; spot goods.

[1150-1200; (n.) ME spotte; c. MD, LG spot speck, ON spotti bit; (v.) late ME spotten to stain, mark, deriv. of the n.]

Syn. 2. taint, stigma. 6. locale, site, situation. 26. stain, taint, stigmatize, soil, tarnish. 27. speckle.

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