a rounded mark or stain made by foreign matter, as mud, blood, paint, ink, etc.; a blot or speck.

something that mars one's character or reputation; blemish; flaw.

a small blemish, mole, or lesion on the skin or other surface.

a small, circumscribed mark caused by disease, allergic reaction, decay, etc.

a comparatively small, usually roundish, part of a surface differing from the rest in color, texture, character, etc.

a bald spot.

a place or locality

A monument marks the spot where Washington slept.

Usually, spots. places of entertainment or sightseeing interest

We went to a few spots to dance and see the floor shows.

spot announcement.

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.

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.

a pip, as on dice or dominoes.

Slang . a piece of paper money, almost always indicated as a five- or ten-dollar bill

Can you loan me a five spot until payday?

Also called spot illustration. a small drawing, usually black and white, appearing within or accompanying a text.

Chiefly British Informal .

a small quantity of anything.

a drink

a spot of tea.

a small croaker, Leiostomus xanthurus, of the eastern coast of the U.S., used as a food fish.

spots, Informal . commodities, as grain, wool, and soybeans, sold for immediate delivery.

spot price.

Informal . spotlight ( def. 1 ) .

to see or notice a person or thing, especially suddenly or when it is not easy to do so

I finally spotted my friend in the crowd

to stain or mark with spots

The grease spotted my dress.

to remove a spot or spots from (clothing), esp. before dry cleaning.

to sully; blemish.

to mark or diversify with spots or dots, as of color

We spotted the wall with blue paint.

to detect or recognize; locate or identify by seeing

to spot a hiding child.

to place or position on a particular place

to spot a billiard ball.

to stop (a railroad car) at the exact place required.

to scatter in various places

to spot chairs here and there in the room.

Informal . spotlight ( def. 5 ) .

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.

Photography . to remove spots from (a negative or print) by covering with opaque color.

Sports . 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.

(in gymnastics) to watch or assist (a performer) in order to prevent injury.

Slang . to lend

Can you spot me twenty for tonight's game?

to make a spot; cause a stain

Ink spots badly.

to become spotted, as some fabrics when spattered with water.

Military . to serve or act as a spotter.

Radio, Television .

pertaining to the point of origin of a local broadcast.

broadcast between announced programs.

made, paid, delivered, etc., at once

a spot sale; spot goods.

hit the high spots

Informal . 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.

hit the spot, Informal . to satisfy a want or need

as to quench thirst

Iced tea hits the spot during the hot summer months.

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.

knock spots off

British Slang . to outdo easily; beat.

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.

noun

plainness , benefit , boon , success

verb

clean , unspot , overlook

noun

atom , blemish , blot , blotch , daub , discoloration , dollop , dram , drop , flaw , iota , jot , little bit , mite , molecule , mote , nip , particle , pimple , pinch , shot , smidgen , smudge , snort , speck , taint , whit , hangout * , hole * , joint * , layout , locality , locus , office , pad , place , plant , point , position , post , roof , scene , seat , section , sector , site , situation , slot , station , wherever * , x * , x marks the spot , box * , corner * , difficulty , dilemma , fix , jam , mess , pickle * , plight , predicament , quandary , scrape , trouble , appointment , berth , billet , connection , job , responsibility , work , dash , dot , fleck , pinpoint , black eye , onus , stigma , tarnish , location , box , corner , deep water , dutch , hole , hot spot , hot water , quagmire , soup , crumb , dab , fragment , grain , minim , modicum , ort , ounce , scrap , scruple , shred , tittle , trifle , areola , areolation , areolet , dapple , macula , maculation , macule , mark , ocellus , reproach , smutch , speckle , stain , variegation

verb

besmirch , bespatter , blot , blotch , dapple , dirty , dot , fleck , maculate , marble , mottle , pepper , pimple , soil , spatter , speck , speckle , splash , splotch , stipple , streak , stripe , stud , sully , taint , tarnish , catch , catch sight of , descry , detect , determinate , diagnose , discern , discover , distinguish , encounter , espy , ferret out , find , identify , locate , make out , meet with , observe , pick out , pinpoint , place , point out , sight , trace , track , turn up , splatter , emplace , install , set , site , situate , glimpse , spy , bind , blemish , blur , corner , defect , difficulty , dilemma , discolor , fault , fix , flaw , freckle , handicap , jam , job , location , mark , molecule , particle , patch , pickle , point , position , post , predicament , quandary , recognize , scrape , see , smear , smidgen , smudge , stain , stigma , variegate

adjective

chance , desultory , haphazard , hit-or-miss , indiscriminate , unplanned