spot

[[t]spɒt[/t]]

n. v. spot•ted, spot•ting, adj.

1) a rounded mark or stain made by foreign matter, as dirt

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

3) pat a small blemish, mole, or other circumscribed mark on the skin

4) a small part of a surface differing from the rest in color, texture, or character:

a bald spot[/ex]

5) a place; locality:

the spot where the explorers landed[/ex]

6) sbz Also called spot′ announce`ment. a brief radio or television message inserted between programs or segments of a program

7) a position in a sequence or hierarchy:

an important spot in government[/ex]

8) gam

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

9) gam a pip, as on dice or dominoes

10) Chiefly Brit. Informal. a small quantity:

a spot of tea[/ex]

11) ich a small croaker, Leiostomus xanthurus, of eastern U.S. shores

12) an awkward or difficult position:

in a bit of a spot[/ex]

13) sbz inf

spotlight 1)

14) to stain or mark with spots

15) to sully; blemish

16) to mark with spots

17) to remove a spot from

18) to locate or identify by seeing; notice or detect:

to spot an error; to spot a ship from afar[/ex]

19) to place or position on a particular place:

to spot a billiard ball[/ex]

20) to scatter; disperse:

to spot chairs here and there[/ex]

21) spotlight 5)

22) mil

a) to determine precisely:

to spot enemy movements[/ex]

b) to correct (gunfire) for accuracy

23) spo to grant an advantage to (an opponent)

24) sts sl. to lend:

Can you spot me twenty for tonight's game?[/ex]

25) to make a spot; stain:

Ink spots badly[/ex]

26) to become spotted

27) mil to act as a military spotter

28) sbz

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

b) broadcast between announced programs

29) bus made, paid, or delivered at once:

a spot sale; spot goods[/ex]

•

- in a tight or bad spot on the spot

Etymology: 1150–1200; (n.) ME spotte, akin to MD, LG spot speck, ON spotti bit spot′ta•ble, adj.