spot (sp?t)n.1. a. A mark on a surface differing sharply in color from its surroundings.b. A blemish, mark, or pimple on the skin.c. A stain or blot.2. Games a. A mark or pip on a playing card; a spade, club, diamond, or heart.b. A playing card with a specified number of such marks on it indicating its value.3. Informal A piece of paper money worth a specified number of dollars: a five spot.4. a. A small area: a bald spot; an itchy spot.b. A location or position: a good spot for catching fish.c. A point of interest: There are a lot of spots to visit in the old city.d. A position or an item in an ordered arrangement: the first spot in line.e. Football The position of the ball for the line of scrimmage as determined by a referee after a play.5. Informal A situation, especially a troublesome one.6. A flaw in one’s reputation or character: a dark spot in his past.7. A short presentation or commercial on television or radio between major programs: a news spot.8. Informal A spotlight.9. pl. spot or spots A small croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus) of North American Atlantic waters, having a dark mark above each pectoral fin and valued as a food and game fish.10. Chiefly British A small amount; a bit: a spot of tea.v. spot·ted, spot·ting, spots v.tr.1. To cause a spot or spots to appear on, especially:a. To soil with spots: Soot spotted the curtains.b. To decorate with spots; dot.2. To bring disgrace to; besmirch: rumors that spotted his reputation.3. a. To place in a particular location; situate precisely: spotted their stores in smaller towns.b. Football To position (the ball) determining the line of scrimmage after a play has been completed.4. To detect or discern, especially visually; spy: spotted him on the subway.5. To remove spots from, as in a laundry.6. Sports To yield a favorable scoring margin to: spotted their opponents 11 points.7. Sports To act as a spotter for (a gymnast, for example).8. Informal To lend: Can you spot me $25 until payday?v.intr.1. To become marked with spots: These dishes spot easily.2. To cause a discoloration or make a stain.3. To locate targets from the air during combat or training missions.adj.1. Made, paid, or delivered immediately: a spot sale.2. Of, relating to, or being a market in which payment or delivery is immediate: the spot market in oil.3. Involving random or selective instances or actions: a spot investigation.4. Presented between major radio or television programs: a spot announcement.Idioms: in spots Now and then; here and there; occasionally. on the spot1. Without delay; at once.2. At the scene of action.3. Under pressure or attention; in a pressed position.[Middle English, from Old English.]spot?ta·ble adj.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.spot (sp?t) n1. a small mark on a surface, such as a circular patch or stain, differing in colour or texture from its surroundings2. (Physical Geography) a geographical area that is restricted in extent: a beauty spot. 3. a location: this is the exact spot on which he died. 4. (Medicine) a blemish of the skin, esp a pimple or one occurring through some disease5. a blemish on the character of a person; moral flaw6. informal a place of entertainment: we hit all the night spots. 7. informal chiefly Brit a small quantity or amount: a spot of lunch. 8. informal an awkward situation: that puts me in a bit of a spot. 9. (Broadcasting) a short period between regular television or radio programmes that is used for advertising10. (Theatre) a position or length of time in a show assigned to a specific performer11. (Theatre) short for spotlight12. (Billiards & Snooker) (in billiards)a. Also called: spot ball the white ball that is distinguished from the plain by a mark or spotb. the player using this ball13. (Billiards & Snooker) billiards snooker one of several small black dots on a table that mark where a ball is to be placed14. (Commerce) (modifier) a. denoting or relating to goods, currencies, or securities available for immediate delivery and payment: spot goods. See also spot market, spot priceb. involving immediate cash payment: spot sales. 15. change one’s spots (used mainly in negative constructions) to reform one’s character16. high spot an outstanding event: the high spot of the holiday was the visit to the winery. 17. knock spots off to outstrip or outdo with ease18. on the spot a. immediatelyb. at the place in questionc. in the best possible position to deal with a situationd. in an awkward predicamente. without moving from the place of one’s location, etcf. (as modifier): our on-the-spot reporter. 19. soft spot a special sympathetic affection or weakness for a person or thing20. tight spot a serious, difficult, or dangerous situation21. weak spot a. some aspect of a character or situation that is susceptible to criticismb. a flaw in a person’s knowledge: classics is my weak spot. vb, spots, spotting or spotted22. (tr) to observe or perceive suddenly, esp under difficult circumstances; discern23. to put stains or spots upon (something)24. (Textiles) (intr) (of some fabrics) to be susceptible to spotting by or as if by water: silk spots easily. 25. (tr) to place here and there: they spotted observers along the border. 26. to look out for and note (trains, talent, etc)27. (Physical Geography) (intr) to rain slightly; spit28. (Billiards & Snooker) (tr) billiards to place (a ball) on one of the spots29. (Military) military to adjust fire in order to correct deviations from (the target) by observation30. (Games, other than specified) (tr) informal US to yield (an advantage or concession) to (one’s opponent): to spot someone a piece in chess. [C12 (in the sense: moral blemish): of German origin; compare Middle Dutch spotte, Old Norse spotti] ?spottable adjCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014spot (sp?t) n., v. spot?ted, spot?ting, adj. n. 1. a rounded mark or stain made by foreign matter, as dirt. 2. something that mars one’s character or reputation; flaw. 3. a small blemish, mole, or other circumscribed mark on the skin. 4. a small part of a surface differing from the rest in color, texture, or character: a bald spot. 5. a place; locality: the spot where the explorers landed. 6. Also called spot? announce`ment. a brief radio or television message inserted between programs or segments of a program. 7. a position in a sequence or hierarchy: an important spot in government. 8. a. one of various traditional, geometric drawings of a club, diamond, heart, or spade on a playing card for indicating suit and value. b. any playing card from a two through a ten. 9. a pip, as on dice or dominoes. 10. Chiefly Brit. Informal. a small quantity: a spot of tea. 11. a small croaker, Leiostomus xanthurus, of eastern U.S. shores. 12. an awkward or difficult position: in a bit of a spot. 13. spotlight (def. 1). v.t. 14. to stain or mark with spots. 15. to sully; blemish. 16. to mark with spots. 17. to remove a spot from. 18. to locate or identify by seeing; notice or detect: to spot an error; to spot a ship from afar. 19. to place or position on a particular place: to spot a billiard ball. 20. to scatter; disperse: to spot chairs here and there. 21. spotlight (def. 5). 22. a. to determine precisely: to spot enemy movements. b. to correct (gunfire) for accuracy. 23. to grant an advantage to (an opponent). 24. Slang. to lend: Can you spot me twenty for tonight’s game? v.i. 25. to make a spot; stain: Ink spots badly. 26. to become spotted. 27. to act as a military spotter. adj. 28. a. pertaining to the point of origin of a local broadcast. b. broadcast between announced programs. 29. made, paid, or delivered at once: a spot sale; spot goods. Idioms: 1. in a tight or bad spot, in an uncomfortable or difficult predicament. 2. on the spot, a. without delay; at once; instantly. b. at the very place in question. c. in a difficult or embarrassing position. d. in a position of being held responsible. [1150?1200; (n.) Middle English spotte, akin to Middle Dutch, Low German spot speck, Old Norse spotti bit] spot?ta?ble, adj. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.spot1. To determine by observation, deviations of ordnance from the target for the purpose of supplying necessary information for the adjustment of fire.2. To place in a proper location.3. (DOD only) An approved shipboard helicopter landing site. See also ordnance.Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.spotPast participle: spottedGerund: spottingImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativespotspotPresentI spotyou spothe/she/it spotswe spotyou spotthey spotPreteriteI spottedyou spottedhe/she/it spottedwe spottedyou spottedthey spottedPresent ContinuousI am spottingyou are spottinghe/she/it is spottingwe are spottingyou are spottingthey are spottingPresent PerfectI have spottedyou have spottedhe/she/it has spottedwe have spottedyou have spottedthey have spottedPast ContinuousI was spottingyou were spottinghe/she/it was spottingwe were spottingyou were spottingthey were spottingPast PerfectI had spottedyou had spottedhe/she/it had spottedwe had spottedyou had spottedthey had spottedFutureI will spotyou will spothe/she/it will spotwe will spotyou will spotthey will spotFuture PerfectI will have spottedyou will have spottedhe/she/it will have spottedwe will have spottedyou will have spottedthey will have spottedFuture ContinuousI will be spottingyou will be spottinghe/she/it will be spottingwe will be spottingyou will be spottingthey will be spottingPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been spottingyou have been spottinghe/she/it has been spottingwe have been spottingyou have been spottingthey have been spottingFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been spottingyou will have been spottinghe/she/it will have been spottingwe will have been spottingyou will have been spottingthey will have been spottingPast Perfect ContinuousI had been spottingyou had been spottinghe/she/it had been spottingwe had been spottingyou had been spottingthey had been spottingConditionalI would spotyou would spothe/she/it would spotwe would spotyou would spotthey would spotPast ConditionalI would have spottedyou would have spottedhe/she/it would have spottedwe would have spottedyou would have spottedthey would have spottedCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011spotA directional lamp.Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited