Search results for 'spot':

spot noun 1 a small mark or stain. 2 a drop of liquid. 3 a small amount, especially of liquid. 4 an eruption on the skin; a pimple. 5 a place • found a secluded spot. 6 colloq a small amount of work • did a spot of ironing. 7 a place or period in a schedule or programme • a five-minute comedy spot. 8 colloq a spotlight. 9 snooker, billiards a mark on the table where a specified ball is placed • had to put the black on pink ball's spot. 10 a relatively dark patch on the sun. 11 colloq a place of entertainment • knew all the hot spots in town. verb (spotted, spotting) 1 to mark with spots. 2 to see; to catch sight of something. 3 usually in compounds to watch for and record the sighting of (eg trains, planes, etc). 4 to search for (new talent). 5 intrans said of rain: to fall lightly. 6 snooker, billiards to put (a ball) in its proper place on the table or, if that is not possible, to place it on the next available one. spotting noun. -spotting noun, in compounds • trainspotting. in a spot colloq in trouble or difficulty. knock spots off someone or something colloq to be overwhelmingly better than them. on the spot 1 immediately and often without warning • Motorists caught speeding are fined on the spot. 2 at the scene of some notable event. 3 in an awkward situation, especially one requiring immediate action or response • put someone on the spot.
ETYMOLOGY: 12c: from Norse spotti small bit.