spot

SaySPOT/spɑt/UK/spɒt/

Pluralspots

Verbspots, spotting, spotted

41 meanings of spot

Practice

1
locationnouncountable
A particular place or area.
Like a marked place on a map.
This is a great spot for a picnic.
We found a quiet spot by the river to rest.
UsageOften a spot for something: a nice spot for lunch. On the spot means right away.
Similarplace, location, site, position, area
Note
2
catch sight ofverbtransitive
To see or notice someone or something, often suddenly.
I spotted my friend across the crowded room.
Can you spot the difference between these two pictures?
UsageYou can spot someone doing something: I spotted her leaving.
Similarnotice, see, detect, identify, spy
Oppositemiss, overlook
3
position (team or list)nouncountable
A position in a ranking, team, contest, list, or schedule.
She earned a spot on the soccer team.
The band got the last spot in the talent show.
UsageYou get a spot on a team or list, or in a show.
Similarplace, position, slot, berth
Note
4
patch of colornouncountable
A small mark or patch on a surface that differs in color or feel from the area around it.
Like a colored sticker on a plain wall.
The leopard's coat is covered in dark spots.
A white spot marked the center of the target.
Similarpatch, dot, blotch, fleck
Note
5
dirty marknouncountable
A dirty mark or stain that spoils how something looks.
Like a dirty mark on a clean window.
An ugly spot marked the otherwise clean carpet.
She scrubbed the spots out of the white tablecloth.
Similarstain, mark, blemish, blot, smudge
6
parking spacenouncountable
A place where you can park a vehicle.
I drove around the parking lot twice before finding an empty spot.
She pulled into an empty spot at the back of the lot.
Similarspace, bay
7
verbtransitive or intransitive
To make small marks or dirty spots on something.
The rain spotted her glasses on the walk home.
Grease can spot a clean shirt very easily.
UsageOften spotted with something: a floor spotted with paint. Water can also spot as it dries.
8
tough situationnouncountable
A hard or tricky situation.
Like being stuck in mud with no easy way out.
He was in a tight spot after losing his wallet.
Lending her so much money put me in a real spot.
UsagePeople say in a tight spot or put someone in a tough spot.
Similarfix, trouble, jam, predicament, difficulty
Note
9
exactadjectivecolloquial
Exactly correct or right.
Like hitting the center of the target exactly.
In this contest, each parachute jumper tries to make a spot landing on a small target.
The pilot made a spot landing right on the marker.
UsageMost often spot on: your answer was spot on.
Similarexact, precise, accurate
Oppositeinaccurate, imprecise
10
short adnounUScountable
A short ad or program segment on TV or radio.
Like a short message break between your favorite shows.
They ran a thirty-second spot during the big game.
Her company bought a spot on the morning show.
UsageOften a 30-second spot or an ad spot.
Similarcommercial, advertisement, ad, advert
Note

Less common meanings

11
a littlenouncountable
A small amount of something.
Like a tiny bit, not a big serving.
Would you like a spot of tea before you go?
He just needs a spot of help with his homework.
UsageSay a spot of something: a spot of tea, a spot of help.
Similarbit, dash, drop
Note
12
pimplenouncountable
A small raised mark on the skin, like a pimple.
A red spot appeared on her chin before the party.
He woke up with a spot on his chin and tried not to squeeze it.
Similarpimple, blemish
13
lend moneyverbslangUS
To lend someone a small amount of money.
Like paying for a friend's snack when they forgot their money.
Can you spot me five dollars until payday?
He spotted his brother some cash for lunch.
UsageSay spot me five dollars, with the person first. Use it with friends; in formal writing, use lend.
Similarlend, loan, front
Oppositeborrow
Note
14
give a head startverbcolloquialUStransitiveus
To give the person you play against something extra at the start, like points or a head start.
Let's race to the tree. I'll spot you ten steps.
My big brother always spots me five points when we play basketball.
UsageThe person comes first: I'll spot you ten steps.
Similargive
Note
15
guard a lifterverbtransitive
To stand ready to help and protect someone doing a hard or risky move.
Like standing close to catch someone if they slip or fall.
I spot my training partner whenever she attempts a heavy bench press.
The coach spots each gymnast on the balance beam.
UsageYou spot a person: spot me on this lift.
Similarassist, support
Note
16
stage lightnouncountable
A strong light that shines on one place, like a stage light.
The technician aimed the spot at center stage.
A single spot lit the singer during her solo.
Similarspotlight
17
immediate deliveryadjective
Paid for and handed over right away, not at a later date.
Like paying cash and taking something home that same day.
The trader bought the gold at the spot price.
We paid the spot rate for the shipment of grain.
UsageUsed before words like price and rate: the spot price of gold.
Oppositeforward
Note
18
penalty marknouncountable
The marked point on a soccer field where a player takes a penalty kick.
She placed the ball on the spot and waited for the whistle.
The striker stepped up to the spot in the final minute.
Note
19
verbtransitive
To remove, or try to remove, stains from cloth or another surface.
Like rubbing out one dirty mark instead of washing everything.
Use a wet cloth to spot the couch where the juice spilled.
The worker was spotting a grease stain on my coat with a small brush.
Note
20
light bleedingverbintransitive
To lose small amounts of blood from the vagina.
Some women spot during early pregnancy.
She spotted for a few days after starting the new medication.
Similarbleed
21
good catchnouncountable
The act of seeing or noticing something, often quickly.
Like catching sight of a friend in a busy crowd.
Nice spot. None of us noticed the typo.
That was a great spot by the goalkeeper, who saw the run early.
UsagePeople say good spot! or nice spot! when someone notices something you missed.
Similarcatch
22
dice marknouncountable
One of the marks on dice, dominoes, or cards that shows a number.
The die landed showing five spots.
Each spot on the domino counts toward the final score.
Similarpip, dot
23
nouncountable
A person who stands ready to catch or steady someone doing a risky move.
Like a helper who stands close, ready to catch you if you fall.
Need a spot? I can stand behind you while you lift.
Can I get a spot? I want to try a heavier weight.
UsageThe helper is usually called a spotter. Can I get a spot? asks for help during a lift.
Similarspotter
Note
24
official's placingnouncountable
In sports, the exact place an official marks, such as where a ball is put down.
The coach argued about the referee's spot, saying the ball went farther.
Both teams argued about the spot after the play ended.
Note
25
ball's home (snooker)nouncountable
A marked point on a pool or snooker table where a ball is placed.
Like a marked square on a board where a game piece must go.
He set the black ball back on its spot.
The pink ball sits on a spot near the top of the table.
Note
26
verbtransitive
To put a ball back on a marked point on the table, usually its own.
Like putting a game piece back on its starting square.
The referee will spot the black ball after the foul.
He spotted the pink and continued his break.
Note
27
nouncountable
In pool, one of the balls a player must pot while the other player aims for the striped balls.
You take the spots and I'll take the stripes.
He had only one spot left before the black.
Similarsolid
Oppositestripe
Note
28
focus while spinningverbtransitive
To keep looking at one point while spinning, turning your head fast to find it again, so you don't get dizzy.
Like keeping your eyes on one thing so the room doesn't seem to spin.
Dancers spot a fixed point on the wall to avoid getting dizzy.
She spots the back wall every time she turns.
Note
29
verb
To touch up a photo by hand to remove small marks or flaws.
30
verb
To place an aircraft on a carrier's deck, ready to be launched.
31
nounslangUS
A $5 or $10 bill.
32
noun
A kind of pigeon with a mark on its head.
33
noun
A small food fish of the US east coast with a dark spot just behind its head.
34
noun
Another name for the red drum, a fish.
35
noundated
Goods sold to be delivered right away.
36
noun
In physics, a small stable patch of activity that keeps itself going in a system fed with energy.
37
noun
The dot in a decimal number.
38
verbdialectal
To rain just a few drops.
39
verb
To cut marks in logs before shaping them.
40
verb
Of a ball in snooker or billiards, to have room to go back on its own marked place.
41
verb
To move a train car or engine to a set place.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of spot apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From an Old English word 'splott' meaning a spot or a piece of land, mixed with a Middle Dutch word 'spotte' meaning spot or speck.