Definition: spot
Source: WordNet (r) 1.7
spot
n 1: a point located with respect to surface features of some
region; "this is a nice place for a picnic" [syn: topographic
point, place]
2: a short section or illustration (as between radio or tv
programs or in a magazine) that is often used for
advertising
3: a blemish made by dirt; "he had a smudge on his cheek" [syn:
smudge, blot, daub, smear, smirch, slur]
4: a small contrasting part of something; "a bald spot"; "a
leopard's spots"; "a patch of clouds"; "patches of thin
ice": "a fleck of red" [syn: speckle, dapple, patch,
fleck, maculation]
5: a section of an entertainment that is assigned to a specific
performer or performance; "they changed his spot on the
program"
6: an outstanding characteristic; "his acting was one of the
high points of the movie" [syn: point]
7: a business establishment for entertainment; "night spot"
8: a job in an organization; "he occupied a post in the
treasury" [syn: position, post, berth, office, place,
situation]
9: a slight attack of illness; "he has a touch of rheumatism"
[syn: touch]
10: (British) a small quantity; "a spot of tea"; "a bit of
paper" [syn: bit]
11: a mark on a playing card (shape depending on the suit) [syn:
pip]
12: a lamp that produces a strong beam of light to illuminate a
restricted area; used to focus attention of a stage
performer [syn: spotlight]
13: a playing card with a specified number of pips on it to
indicate its value; "an eight spot"
14: an act that brings discredit to the person who does it; "he
made a huge blot on his copybook" [syn: blot, smear,
smirch, stain]
v 1: catch sight of [syn: descry, espy, spy]
2: mar or impair with a flaw; "her face was blemished" [syn: blemish]
3: make a spot or mark onto; "The wine spotted the tablecloth"
[syn: fleck, blob, blot]
4: become spotted; "This dress spots quickly"
5: mark with a spot or spots so as to allow easy recognition;
"spot the areas that one should clearly identify"
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Spot \Spot\, a. Lit., being on the spot, or place; hence (Com.), on hand for immediate delivery after sale; -- said of commodities; as, spot wheat.
Spot \Spot\, v. i. To become stained with spots.
Spot \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.] 1. A mark on a substance or body made by foreign matter; a blot; a place discolored. Out, damned spot! Out, I say! --Shak. 2. A stain on character or reputation; something that soils purity; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish. Yet Chloe, sure, was formed without a spot. --Pope. 3. 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. 4. A small extent of space; a place; any particular place. ``Fixed to one spot.'' --Otway. That spot to which I point is Paradise. --Milton. ``A jolly place,'' said he, ``in times of old! But something ails it now: the spot is cursed.'' --Wordsworth. 5. (Zo["o]l.) A variety of the common domestic pigeon, so called from a spot on its head just above its beak. 6. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A sci[ae]noid 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 also goody, Lafayette, masooka, and old wife. (b) The southern redfish, or red horse, which has a spot on each side at the base of the tail. See Redfish. 7. pl. Commodities, as merchandise and cotton, sold for immediate delivery. [Broker's Cant] Crescent spot (Zo["o]l.), any butterfly of the family Melit[ae]id[ae] having crescent-shaped white spots along the margins of the red or brown wings. Spot lens (Microscopy), a condensing lens in which the light is confined to an annular pencil by means of a small, round diaphragm (the spot), and used in dark-field ilumination; -- called also spotted lens. Spot rump (Zo["o]l.), the Hudsonian godwit (Limosa h[ae]mastica). Spots on the sun. (Astron.) See Sun spot, ander Sun. On, or Upon, the spot, immediately; before moving; without changing place. It was determined upon the spot. --Swift. Syn: Stain; flaw; speck; blot; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish; place; site; locality.
Spot \Spot\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Spotting.] 1. 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 garnment; to spot paper. 2. To mark or note so as to insure recognition; to recognize; to detect; as, to spot a criminal. [Cant] 3. To stain; to blemish; to taint; to disgrace; to tarnish, as reputation; to asperse. My virgin life no spotted thoughts shall stain. --Sir P. Sidney. If ever I shall close these eyes but once, May I live spotted for my perjury. --Beau. & Fl. To spot timber, to cut or chip it, in preparation for hewing.
