spot
pronunciation
How to pronounce spot in British English:
UK [spɒt]
How to pronounce spot in American English:
US [spɑːt]
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- Noun:
- a point located with respect to surface features of some region
- a short section or illustration (as between radio or tv programs or in a magazine) that is often used for advertising
- a blemish made by dirt
- a small contrasting part of something
- a section of an entertainment that is assigned to a specific performer or performance
- an outstanding characteristic
- a business establishment for entertainment
- a job in an organization
- a slight attack of illness
- a small quantity
- a mark on a playing card (shape depending on the suit)
- a lamp that produces a strong beam of light to illuminate a restricted area; used to focus attention of a stage performer
- a playing card with a specified number of pips on it to indicate its value
- an act that brings discredit to the person who does it
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- Verb:
- catch sight of
- mar or impair with a flaw
- make a spot or mark onto
- become spotted
- mark with a spot or spots so as to allow easy recognition
Word Origin
- spot
- spot: [12] Spot may have been borrowed from Low German spot or Middle Dutch spotte. These point back to a prehistoric Germanic *sput-, which also produced Norwegian spott ‘speck, spot’. There may also be some connection with Old English splott ‘spot’.
- spot (n.)
- c. 1200, "moral stain," probably from Old English splott "a spot, blot, patch (of land)," and partly from or related to Middle Dutch spotte "spot, speck." Other cognates are East Frisian spot "speck," North Frisian spot "speck, piece of ground," Old Norse spotti "small piece," Norwegian spot "spot, small piece of land." It is likely that some of these are borrowed from others, but the exact evolution now is impossible to trace. Meaning "speck, stain" is from mid-14c. The sense of "particular place, small extent of space" is from c. 1300. Meaning "short interval in a broadcast for an advertisement or announcement" is from 1923. Proceeded by a number (as in five-spot) it originally was a term for "prison sentence" of that many years (1901, American English slang). To put (someone) on the spot "place in a difficult situation" is from 1928. Colloquial phrase to hit the spot "satisfy, be what is required" is from 1868. Spot check first attested 1933. Adverbial phrase spot on "completely right" attested from 1920.
- spot (v.)
- mid-13c., "to mark or stain with spots;" late 14c. as "to stain, sully, tarnish," from spot (n.). Meaning "to see and recognize," is from 1718, originally colloquial and applied to a criminal or suspected person; the general sense is from 1860. Related: Spotted; spotting. Spotted dick "suet pudding with currants and raisins" is attested from 1849.
Example
- 1. Scientists spot a new disease roughly every four months .
- 2. Spot prices are currently near $ 200 a tonne .
- 3. What will be the next global cinematic hot spot ?
- 4. Give it a spot , and stick with it .
- 5. It 's like writing an album on the spot .