spotlight

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: spot=light

CIDE DICTIONARY

spotlight, n. 

•  The projected spot or circle of light used to illuminate brilliantly a single person or object or group on the stage, leaving the rest of the stage more or less unilluminated.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  hence, conspicuous public notice.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A lighting apparatus designed to throw an intense beam of light onto a small area.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

spotlight, n. & v.
--n.
1 a beam of light directed on a small area, esp. on a particular part of a theatre stage or of the road in front of a vehicle.
2 a lamp projecting this.
3 full attention or publicity.
--v.tr. (past and past part. -lighted or -lit)
1 direct a spotlight on.
2 make conspicuous, draw attention to.

THESAURUS

spotlight

PR, accent, accentuate, affect, arc, arc light, ballyhoo, beacon, belabor, betoken, blurb, brandish, breathe, bright light, brighten, brighten up, bring forth, bring forward, bring into view, bring out, bring to notice, celebrity, color filter, common knowledge, cry, currency, dangle, daylight, demonstrate, develop, dimmer, disclose, display, divulge, dramatize, dwell on, eclat, embody, emphasize, enact, enlighten, evidence, evince, exhibit, expose to view, exposure, express, fame, famousness, feature, flaunt, floats, flood, flood with light, floodlight, flourish, focus of attention, footlights, foots, gelatin, give emphasis to, give sign, give token, glare, harp on, highlight, hoopla, hue and cry, illume, illuminate, illumine, incarnate, indicate, irradiate, italicize, klieg light, light, light plot, light up, lighten, lights, limelight, luminate, make clear, make plain, manifest, marquee, materialize, maximum dissemination, mean, medium, notoriety, overaccentuate, overemphasize, overshine, overstress, parade, perform, place emphasis on, plug, point up, present, press notice, produce, public eye, public knowledge, public relations, public report, publicity, publicity story, publicness, puff, punctuate, reclame, relume, relumine, report, represent, reveal, roll out, rub in, searchlight, set forth, shed light upon, shine upon, show, show forth, spot, star, stress, throw light upon, token, trot out, underline, underscore, unfold, wave, write-up