Word Study
spot
CIDE DICTIONARY
spot, n. [Cf. Scot. & D. spat, Dan. spette, Sw. spott spittle, slaver; from the root of E. spit. See Spit to eject from the mouth, and cf. Spatter.].
- A mark on a substance or body made by foreign matter; a blot; a place discolored. [1913 Webster]"Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" [1913 Webster]
- A stain on character or reputation; something that soils purity; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish. [1913 Webster]"Yet Chloe, sure, was formed without a spot." [1913 Webster]
- A small part of a different color from the main part, or from the ground upon which it is; as, the spots of a leopard; the spots on a playing card. [1913 Webster]
- A small extent of space; a place; any particular place. Otway. [1913 Webster]"That spot to which I point is Paradise." [1913 Webster]"“A jolly place,” said he, “in times of old!
But something ails it now: the spot is cursed.”" [1913 Webster] - A variety of the common domestic pigeon, so called from a spot on its head just above its beak. [1913 Webster]
- A sciænoid food fish (
Liostomus xanthurus ) of the Atlantic coast of the United States. It has a black spot behind the shoulders and fifteen oblique dark bars on the sides. Called alsogoody ,Lafayette ,masooka , andold wife . [1913 Webster] - Commodities, as merchandise and cotton, sold for immediate delivery. [1913 Webster]
It was determined
Syn. -- Stain; flaw; speck; blot; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish; place; site; locality.
spot, v. t.
- To make visible marks upon with some foreign matter; to discolor in or with spots; to stain; to cover with spots or figures; as, to spot a garment; to spot paper. [1913 Webster]
- To mark or note so as to insure recognition; to recognize; to detect; as, to spot a criminal. [1913 Webster]
- To stain; to blemish; to taint; to disgrace; to tarnish, as reputation; to asperse. [1913 Webster]"My virgin life no spotted thoughts shall stain." [1913 Webster]"If ever I shall close these eyes but once,
May I live spotted for my perjury." [1913 Webster]
spot, v. i.
To become stained with spots. [1913 Webster]
spot, a.
Lit., being on the spot, or place; [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
spot, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a small part of the surface of a thing distinguished by colour, texture, etc., usu. round or less elongated than a streak or stripe (a blue tie with pink spots). b a small mark or stain. c a pimple. d a small circle or other shape used in various numbers to distinguish faces of dice, playing-cards in a suit, etc. e a moral blemish or stain (without a spot on his reputation).
2 a a particular place; a definite locality (dropped it on this precise spot; the spot where William III landed). b a place used for a particular activity (often in comb.: nightspot). c (prec. by the) Football the place from which a penalty kick is taken.
3 a particular part of one's body or aspect of one's character.
4 a colloq. one's esp. regular position in an organization, programme of events, etc. b a place or position in a performance or show (did the spot before the interval).
5 Brit. a colloq. a small quantity of anything (a spot of lunch; a spot of trouble). b a drop (a spot of rain). c colloq. a drink.
6 = SPOTLIGHT.
7 (usu. attrib.) money paid or goods delivered immediately after a sale (spot cash; spot silver).
8 Billiards etc. a a small round black patch to mark the position where a ball is placed at certain times. b (in full spot-ball) the white ball distinguished from the other by two black spots.
--v. (spotted, spotting)
1 tr. a colloq. single out beforehand (the winner of a race etc.). b colloq. recognize the identity, nationality, etc., of (spotted him at once as the murderer). c watch for and take note of (trains, talent, etc.). d colloq. catch sight of. e Mil. locate (an enemy's position), esp. from the air.
2 a tr. & intr. mark or become marked with spots. b tr. stain, soil (a person's character etc.).
3 intr. make spots, rain slightly (it was spotting with rain).
4 tr. Billiards place (a ball) on a spot.
--n.
1 a a small part of the surface of a thing distinguished by colour, texture, etc., usu. round or less elongated than a streak or stripe (a blue tie with pink spots). b a small mark or stain. c a pimple. d a small circle or other shape used in various numbers to distinguish faces of dice, playing-cards in a suit, etc. e a moral blemish or stain (without a spot on his reputation).
2 a a particular place; a definite locality (dropped it on this precise spot; the spot where William III landed). b a place used for a particular activity (often in comb.: nightspot). c (prec. by the) Football the place from which a penalty kick is taken.
3 a particular part of one's body or aspect of one's character.
4 a colloq. one's esp. regular position in an organization, programme of events, etc. b a place or position in a performance or show (did the spot before the interval).
5 Brit. a colloq. a small quantity of anything (a spot of lunch; a spot of trouble). b a drop (a spot of rain). c colloq. a drink.
6 = SPOTLIGHT.
7 (usu. attrib.) money paid or goods delivered immediately after a sale (spot cash; spot silver).
8 Billiards etc. a a small round black patch to mark the position where a ball is placed at certain times. b (in full spot-ball) the white ball distinguished from the other by two black spots.
--v. (spotted, spotting)
1 tr. a colloq. single out beforehand (the winner of a race etc.). b colloq. recognize the identity, nationality, etc., of (spotted him at once as the murderer). c watch for and take note of (trains, talent, etc.). d colloq. catch sight of. e Mil. locate (an enemy's position), esp. from the air.
2 a tr. & intr. mark or become marked with spots. b tr. stain, soil (a person's character etc.).
3 intr. make spots, rain slightly (it was spotting with rain).
4 tr. Billiards place (a ball) on a spot.
Idiom
in a spot (or in a tight etc. spot) colloq. in difficulty. on the spot
1 at the scene of an action or event.
2 colloq. in a position such that response or action is required.
3 without delay or change of place, then and there.
4 (of a person) wide awake, equal to the situation, in good form at a game etc. put on the spot US sl. decide to murder. running on the spot raising the feet alternately as in running but without moving forwards or backwards. spot check a test made on the spot or on a randomly-selected subject.
spot height
1 the altitude of a point.
2 a figure on a map showing this. spot on Brit. colloq. adj. precise; on target.
--adv. precisely. spot weld a weld made in spot welding. spot-weld v.tr. join by spot welding. spot welder a person or device that spot-welds. spot welding welding two surfaces together in a series of discrete points.
1 at the scene of an action or event.
2 colloq. in a position such that response or action is required.
3 without delay or change of place, then and there.
4 (of a person) wide awake, equal to the situation, in good form at a game etc. put on the spot US sl. decide to murder. running on the spot raising the feet alternately as in running but without moving forwards or backwards. spot check a test made on the spot or on a randomly-selected subject.
spot height
1 the altitude of a point.
2 a figure on a map showing this. spot on Brit. colloq. adj. precise; on target.
--adv. precisely. spot weld a weld made in spot welding. spot-weld v.tr. join by spot welding. spot welder a person or device that spot-welds. spot welding welding two surfaces together in a series of discrete points.
Etymology
ME, perh. f. MDu. spotte, LG spot, ON spotti small piece
THESAURUS
spot
CRT spot, DM display, Doppler signal, IF signal, IM display, RF echoes, abode, ace, acne, aimless, allocate, appointment, arc, arc light, area, ascertain, aspersion, assign, atom, attaint, badge of infamy, band, bar, bar sinister, baton, beam, bearings, beat signal, bedabble, bedaub, behold, bench mark, bend sinister, berth, besmear, besmirch, besmutch, besoil, bespangle, bespatter, bespeckle, bespot, besprinkle, billet, bind, birthmark, bit, bite, black, black eye, black mark, blacken, blaze, blaze a trail, blemish, blips, bloodstain, blot, blotch, blur, boils, bounces, box, brand, bread, broad arrow, case, caste mark, catch, catch sight of, censure, chalk up, champain, check, check off, checker, checkmark, cicatrix, cicatrize, circumstance, clap eyes on, clutch, collocate, color filter, commercial, commercial announcement, complication, condition, connection, corner, crumb, crunch, cut, dab, dabble, dapple, dappledness, dappleness, dash, daub, define, delimit, demarcate, deploy, descry, designless, detect, determinate, diagnose, dilemma, dimmer, dirty, discern, discolor, discoloration, discover, disparagement, display, dispose, distinguish, district, dole, dollop, dot, dottedness, double-dot display, draft, dram, dredge, drench, dribble, driblet, drink, drop, dust, dwarf, earmark, echo, echo signal, embarrassing position, embarrassment, emplace, emplacement, encounter, engrave, engraving, eruptions, espy, estate, eyesore, farthing, fine how-do-you-do, finger, fix, flake, fleck, flick, floats, flood, floodlight, flour, flyspeck, footing, footlights, foots, fragment, freckle, freckliness, gargle, gash, gelatin, get a fix, glimpse, gobbet, grain, granule, graving, groat, guzzle, hack, hair, handful, haphazard, harlequin, hatch, have, have in sight, hell to pay, hit, hit-or-miss, hobble, hole, home in on, home on, hot water, how-do-you-do, identify, imbroglio, impress, imprint, imputation, install, intersperse, iota, iris, irregular, jam, jigger, jolt, jot, ken, klieg light, know, know again, latitude and longitude, lay eyes on, lentigo, libation, lieu, light plot, lights, limelight, line, little, little bit, lob, local oscillator signal, locale, locality, localize, locate, location, locus, look on, look upon, lot, lota, macula, maculate, maculation, macule, make a mark, make out, map, marble, marbleize, mark, mark of Cain, mark off, mark out, marking, marquee, medium, meet with, mess, minim, minimum, minutiae, mite, mix, modality, mode, modicum, mole, molecule, morass, morsel, mote, motley, mottle, mottledness, nail, navigate, nevus, nick, nip, notch, notice, nutshell, observe, odium, office, onus, ounce, output signal, parlous straits, particle, pass, patch, pebble, peg, pencil, pepper, perceive, pick out, pick up, pickle, picture, pillorying, pimple, pin down, pinch, pinpoint, pips, pittance, place, placement, plight, plug, point, point champain, pointillage, pointillism, polka dot, polychrome, polychromize, position, post, posture, potation, potion, powder, predicament, pretty pass, pretty pickle, pretty predicament, prick, print, pull, punch, punctuate, puncture, put in place, quagmire, quandary, quarter, quicksand, radar signal, rainbow, rank, reading, realize, recall knowledge of, receive, recognize, reflection, region, reidentify, reprimand, reproach, return, return signal, riddle, round, round of drinks, scan, scar, scarification, scarify, scene, score, scotch, scrape, scratch, scratching, scruple, seal, seam, section, sector, see, sense, setting, shot, sight, signal, signal display, single out, sip, site, situate, situation, situs, slapdash, slough, slubber, slug, slur, smear, smidgen, smidgin, smirch, smitch, smouch, smudge, smut, smutch, snifter, snort, soil, soilage, soilure, spangle, spatter, speck, speckle, speckliness, splash, splatter, splotch, spoonful, spot announcement, spotlight, spots, spottedness, spottiness, spray, sprinkle, spy, squeeze, stain, stamp, standing, state, station, status, stead, stew, sticky wicket, stigma, stigmatism, stigmatization, stigmatize, stipple, stippledness, stippling, strait, straits, strawberry mark, streak, striate, stripe, stud, suck, sully, sup, swamp, sweep, swig, swill, taint, take in, target image, tarnish, tattoo, tattoo mark, tell, tessellate, thimbleful, tick, tick off, tight spot, tight squeeze, tightrope, tiny bit, tittle, tot, trace, transmitter signal, triangulate, tricky spot, trifling amount, trigger, trivia, tune in, turn up, twig, unconsidered, underline, underscore, unholy mess, unplanned, variegate, vein, video signal, view, watermark, wet, where, whereabout, whereabouts, whit, witness, zero in onROGET THESAURUS
spot
Uncleanness
VB be unclean, become unclean, rot, putrefy, ferment, fester, rankle, reek, stink, mold, molder, go bad, render unclean, dirt, dirty, daub, blot, blur, smudge, smutch, soil, smoke, tarnish, slaver, spot, smear, smirch, begrease, dabble, drabble, draggle, daggle, spatter, slubber, besmear, bemire, beslime, begrime, befoul, splash, stain, distain, maculate, sully, pollute, defile, debase, contaminate, taint, leaven, corrupt, cover with dust, drabble in the mud, roil, wallow in the mire, slobber, slabber.Place
N place, lieu, spot, point, dot, niche, nook, hole, pigeonhole, compartment, premises, precinct, station, area, courtyard, square, abode, locality, ins and outs, every hole and corner, somewhere, in some place, wherever it may be, here and there, in various places, passim.Situation
N situation, position, locality, locale, status, latitude and longitude, footing, standing, standpoint, post, stage, aspect, attitude, posture, pose, environment, surroundings (location), circumjacence, place, site, station, seat, venue, whereabouts, ground, bearings, spot, topography, geography, chorography, map, situate, situated, local, topical, topographical, in situ, in loco, here and there, passim, hereabouts, thereabouts, whereabouts, in place, here, there, in such and such surroundings, in such and such environs, in such and such entourage, amidst such and such surroundings, amidst such and such environs, amidst such and such entourage.Blemish
N blemish, disfigurement, deformity, adactylism, flaw, defect, injury, spots on the sun, eyesore, stain, blot, spot, spottiness, speck, speckle, blur, tarnish, smudge, dirt, freckle, mole, macula, patch, blotch, birthmark, blobber lip, blubber lip, blain, maculation, scar, wem, pustule, whelk, excrescence, pimple, pitted, freckled, discolored, imperfect, blobber-lipped, bloodshot, injured.Disrepute
N disrepute, discredit, ill repute, bad repute, bad name, bad odor, bad favor, ill name, ill odor, ill favor, disapprobation, ingloriousness, derogation, abasement, debasement, abjectness, degradation, dedecoration, a long farewell to all my greatness, odium, obloquy, opprobrium, ignominy, dishonor, disgrace, shame, humiliation, scandal, baseness, vileness, turpitude, infamy, tarnish, taint, defilement, pollution, stain, blot, spot, blur, stigma, brand, reproach, imputation, slur, crying shame, burning shame, scandalum magnatum, badge of infamy, blot in one's escutcheon, bend sinister, bar sinister, champain, point champain, byword of reproach, Ichabod, argumentum ad verecundiam, sense of shame, disgraced, blown upon, shorn of its beams, shorn of one's glory, overcome, downtrodden, loaded with shame, in bad repute, out of repute, out of favor, out of fashion, out of countenance, at a discount, under a cloud, under an eclipse, unable to show one's face, in the shade, in the background, out at elbows, down at the elbows, down in the world, inglorious, nameless, renownless, obscure, unknown to fame, unnoticed, unnoted, unhonored, unglorified, shameful, disgraceful, discreditable, disreputable, despicable, questionable, unbecoming, unworthy, derogatory, degrading, humiliating, infra dignitatem, dedecorous, scandalous, infamous, too bad, unmentionable, ribald, opprobrious, errant, shocking, outrageous, notorious, ignominious, scrubby, dirty, abject, vile, beggarly, pitiful, low, mean, shabby base, to one's shame be it spoken, Int, fie!, shame!, for shame!, proh pudor!, O tempora!, O mores!, ough!, sic transit gloria mundi!.Discovery
VB discover, find, determine, evolve, learn, fix upon, pick up, find out, trace out, make out, hunt out, fish out, worm out, ferret out, root out, fathom, bring out, draw out, educe, elicit, bring to light, dig out, grub up, fish up, unearth, disinter, solve, resolve, elucidate, unriddle, unravel, unlock, crack, crack open, pick up, open the lock, find a clue, find clew a to, find the key to the riddle, interpret, disclose, trace, get at, hit it, have it, lay one's finger, lay one's hands upon, spot, get at the truth, arrive at the truth, put the saddle on the right horse, hit the right nail on the head, be near the truth, be warm, get warmer, burn, smoke, scent, sniff, catch a whiff of, smell a rat, open the eyes to, see through, see daylight, see in its true colors, see the cloven foot, detect, catch, catch tripping, pitch upon, fall upon, light upon, hit upon, stumble upon, pop upon, come across, come onto, meet with, meet up with, fall in with, recognize, realize, verify, make certain of, identify, Int, eureka!, aha!, I've got it!.Indication
VB indicate, be the sign, of, denote, betoken, argue, testify, bear the impress, of, connote, connotate, represent, stand for, typify, symbolize, put an indication, put a mark, note, mark, stamp, earmark, blaze, label, ticket, docket, dot, spot, score, dash, trace, chalk, print, imprint, impress, engrave, stereotype, make a sign, signalize, underscore, give a signal, hang out a signal, beckon, nod, wink, glance, leer, nudge, shrug, tip the wink, gesticulate, raise the finger, hold up the finger, raise the hand, hold up the hand, saw the air, suit the action to the word, wave a banner, unfurl a banner, hoist a banner, hang out a banner, wave the hand, wave a kerchief, give the cue, show one's colors, give an alarm, sound an alarm, beat the drum, sound the trumpets, raise a cry, sign, seal, attest, underline, call attention to, give notice.For further exploring for "spot" in Webster Dictionary Online