spot

UK: /ˈspɒt/ US: /spɑt/ ,(spot)

Inflections of 'spot' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

spots

v 3rd person singular

spotting

v pres p

spotted

v past

spotted

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

spot /spɑt/   n., v., spot•ted, spot•ting, adj. 
n. [countable]

1. a mark made by something unwanted, such as dirt:
   We couldn't get the spots of grease off the dress.
2. Pathology a small blemish or other mark on the skin.
3. a small part of a surface differing from the rest in color, appearance, or character:
   a bald spot.
4. something that harms one's character or reputation;
   flaw.
5. a place:
   This is the spot where the explorers landed five hundred years ago.
6. a position in an organization or hierarchy:
   an important spot in government.
7. [Chiefly Brit. Informal.] a small quantity:
   [usually singular] a spot of tea.
8. an awkward or difficult position:
   [usually singular] We're in a bit of a spot because we can't choose which party to go to.

v. 

9. to make a spot on (something);
   stain: [no object]
   Ink can spot badly.
   [~ + object]
   The blood spotted his shirt.
10. to become spotted or stained:
    [no object] The clothes spotted from the rusty water.
11. to ruin:
    [~ + object] to spot someone's reputation.
12. to locate or identify by seeing:
    [~ + object] So far I haven't spotted any errors in your computer program.
13. to position on a particular place:
    [~ + object] to spot a billiard ball.
14. Sport to grant (an advantage) to (an opponent): [~ + object + object]
    He spotted his opponent a lead of fifty yards and still won the race.
    [~ + object + to + object]
    She spotted him to a lead of fifty yards and still won the race.

adj. [before a noun]

15. Business made, paid, or delivered at once:
    a spot sale.

Idioms

16. Idioms on the spot:
    • without delay;
      at once;
      instantly:
      He was there on the spot.
    • at the very place in question:
      This reporter is always on the spot when an important news story develops.
    • in a difficult or embarrassing position:
      She's on the spot because her car broke down and she can't get to work.

spot•less, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

spot  (spot), n., v., spot•ted, spot•ting, adj. 
n. 

1. a rounded mark or stain made by foreign matter, as mud, blood, paint, ink, etc.;
   a blot or speck.
2. something that mars one's character or reputation;
   blemish;
   flaw.
3. Pathology a small blemish, mole, or lesion on the skin or other surface.
4. Pathology a small, circumscribed mark caused by disease, allergic reaction, decay, etc.
5. a comparatively small, usually roundish, part of a surface differing from the rest in color, texture, character, etc.:
   a bald spot.
6. a place or locality:
   A monument marks the spot where Washington slept.
7. Usually, spots. places of entertainment or sightseeing interest:
   We went to a few spots to dance and see the floor shows.
8. Show Business See spot announcement. 
9. a specific position in a sequence or hierarchy:
   The choral group has the second spot on the program, right after the dancers. He moved up from second spot to become president of the firm.
10. Games [Cards.]
    • one of various traditional, geometric drawings of a club, diamond, heart, or spade on a playing card for indicating suit and value.
    • any playing card from a two through a ten:
      He drew a jack, a queen, and a three spot.
11. Games a pip, as on dice or dominoes.
12. Slang Terms a piece of paper money, almost always indicated as a five- or ten-dollar bill:
    Can you loan me a five spot until payday?
13. Fine Art Also called spot illustration. a small drawing, usually black and white, appearing within or accompanying a text.
14. British Terms [Chiefly Brit. Informal.]
    • a small quantity of anything.
    • a drink:
      a spot of tea.
15. Fish a small croaker, Leiostomus xanthurus, of the eastern coast of the U.S., used as a food fish.
16. Business spots, [Informal.] commodities, as grain, wool, and soybeans, sold for immediate delivery.
17. Economics, Business See spot price. 
18. Show Business, Informal Terms [Informal.] spotlight (def. 1).
19. Informal Terms hit the high spots, to deal with or include only the major points of interest:
    With but a limited amount of vacation time, he concentrated on hitting the high spots of Europe.
20. Informal Terms hit the spot, to satisfy a want or need, as to quench thirst:
    Iced tea hits the spot during the hot summer months.
21. in a (bad) spot, in an uncomfortable or dangerous predicament:
    The tourists found themselves in a bad spot after they lost their money in Las Vegas.
22. British Terms knock spots off, to outdo easily;
    beat.
23. on the spot:
    • without delay;
      at once;
      instantly.
    • at the very place in question.
    • in a difficult or embarrassing position.
    • in a position of being expected to act or to respond in some way.

v.t. 

24. to stain or mark with spots:
    The grease spotted my dress.
25. to remove a spot or spots from (clothing), esp. before dry cleaning.
26. to sully;
    blemish.
27. to mark or diversify with spots or dots, as of color:
    We spotted the wall with blue paint.
28. to detect or recognize;
    locate or identify by seeing:
    to spot a hiding child.
29. to place or position on a particular place:
    to spot a billiard ball.
30. Rail Transport to stop (a railroad car) at the exact place required.
31. to scatter in various places:
    to spot chairs here and there in the room.
32. Informal Terms spotlight (def. 5).
33. Military
    • to determine (a location) precisely on either the ground or a map.
    • to observe (the results of gunfire at or near a target) for the purpose of correcting aim.
34. Photography to remove spots from (a negative or print) by covering with opaque color.
35. Sport to give or grant a certain margin or advantage to (an opponent):
    He spotted the tyro 12 points a game. The champion won, although spotting the challenger twenty pounds.
36. Sport (in gymnastics) to watch or assist (a performer) in order to prevent injury.
37. Slang Terms to lend:
    Can you spot me twenty for tonight's game?

v.i. 

38. to make a spot;
    cause a stain:
    Ink spots badly.
39. to become spotted, as some fabrics when spattered with water.
40. Military to serve or act as a spotter.

adj. 

41. Show Business [Radio, Television.]
    • pertaining to the point of origin of a local broadcast.
    • broadcast between announced programs.
42. Business made, paid, delivered, etc., at once:
    a spot sale; spot goods.

• 1150–1200; (noun, nominal) Middle English spotte; cognate with Middle Dutch, Low German spot speck, Old Norse spotti bit; (verb, verbal) late Middle English spotten to stain, mark, derivative of the noun, nominal

spot′like′, adj. 
spot′ta•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 2. taint, stigma.
• 6. locale, site, situation.
• 26. stain, taint, stigmatize, soil, tarnish.
• 27. speckle.

spot, +v.t. 

1. Slang Terms to lend:
   Can you spot me twenty for tonight's game?

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

spot / spɒt/ noun

1. a small mark on a surface, such as a circular patch or stain, differing in colour or texture from its surroundings
2. a geographical area that is restricted in extent: a beauty spot
3. a location: this is the exact spot on which he died
4. a blemish of the skin, esp a pimple or one occurring through some disease
5. a blemish on the character of a person; moral flaw
6. a place of entertainment
7. a small quantity or amount: a spot of lunch
8. an awkward situation: that puts me in a bit of a spot
9. a short period between regular television or radio programmes that is used for advertising
10. a position or length of time in a show assigned to a specific performer
11. short for spotlight
12. (in billiards) the player using this ball
13. one of several small black dots on a table that mark where a ball is to be placed
14. (modifier) denoting or relating to goods, currencies, or securities available for immediate delivery and payment: spot goods
    See also spot price
15. involving immediate cash payment: spot sales
16. change one's spots ⇒ (used mainly in negative constructions) to reform one's character
17. high spot ⇒ an outstanding event: the high spot of the holiday was the visit to the winery
18. knock spots off ⇒ to outstrip or outdo with ease
19. on the spot ⇒ immediately
20. at the place in question
21. in the best possible position to deal with a situation
22. in an awkward predicament
23. without moving from the place of one's location, etc
24. (as modifier): our on-the-spot reporter
25. soft spot ⇒ a special sympathetic affection or weakness for a person or thing
26. tight spot ⇒ a serious, difficult, or dangerous situation
27. weak spot ⇒ some aspect of a character or situation that is susceptible to criticism
28. a flaw in a person's knowledge: classics is my weak spot

verb (spots, spotting, spotted)

1. (transitive) to observe or perceive suddenly, esp under difficult circumstances; discern
2. to put stains or spots upon (something)
3. (intransitive) (of some fabrics) to be susceptible to spotting by or as if by water: silk spots easily
4. (transitive) to place here and there: they spotted observers along the border
5. to look out for and note (trains, talent, etc)
6. (intransitive) to rain slightly; spit
7. (transitive) to place (a ball) on one of the spots

Etymology: 12th Century (in the sense: moral blemish): of German origin; compare Middle Dutch spotte, Old Norse spotti