spot
♦♦ spot /sp'ɒt/ (spots spotting spotted)
1 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Spots are small, round, coloured areas on a surface.
The leaves have yellow areas on the top and underneath are powdery orange spots...
The swimsuit comes in navy with white spots or blue with green spots.
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Spots on a person's skin are small lumps or marks.
Never squeeze blackheads, spots or pimples.
3 [N-COUNT] N of n
A spot of a liquid is a small amount of it. (mainly BRIT)
Spots of rain had begun to fall...
4 [QUANT] QUANT of n-uncount
If you have a spot of something, you have a small amount of it. (mainly BRIT)
Mr Brooke is undoubtedly in a spot of bother...
We've given all the club members tea, coffee and a spot of lunch.
= bit
5 [N-COUNT] usu supp N
You can refer to a particular place as a spot.
They stayed at several of the island's top tourist spots...
They all stood there staring, as if frozen to the spot.
6 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A spot in a television or radio show is a part of it that is regularly reserved for a particular performer or type of entertainment.
Unsuccessful at screen writing, he got a spot on a CNN film show.
= slot
7 [VERB] V n
If you spot something or someone, you notice them.
Vicenzo failed to spot the error...
see also spotted, black spot,
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you are on the spot, you are at the actual place where something is happening.
...areas where troops are on the spot and protecting civilians...
9 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR n
If you do something on the spot, you do it immediately.
James was called to see the producer and got the job on the spot...
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you put someone on the spot, you cause them to have to answer a difficult question or make a difficult decision.
He put me on the spot a bit because he invited me right in front of his mum and I didn't particularly want to go...
Even clever people are not terribly clever when put on the spot.
11
rooted to the spot: see rooted
to have a soft spot for someone: see softbeau|ty spot (beauty spots)
1 [N-COUNT]
A beauty spot is a place in the country that is popular because of its beautiful scenery.
The Valley of Vinales is a lush and fertile valley and one of Cuba's finest beauty spots.
2 [N-COUNT]
A beauty spot is a small, dark spot on the skin which is supposed to add to a woman's beauty.black spot (black spots)
also blackspot
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe a place, time, or part of a situation as a black spot, you mean that it is particularly bad or likely to cause problems. (BRIT)
There are recognised black spots in marriages which can lead to trouble...
2 [N-COUNT]
A black spot is a place on a road where accidents often happen. (BRIT)
The accident happened on a notorious black spot on the A43.blind spot (blind spots)
1 [N-COUNT]
If you say that someone has a blind spot about something, you mean that they seem to be unable to understand it or to see how important it is.
The prime minister has a blind spot on ethical issues...
When I was single I never worried about money-it was a bit of a blind spot.
2 [N-COUNT]
A blind spot is an area in your range of vision that you cannot see properly but which you really should be able to see. For example, when you are driving a car, the area just behind your shoulders is often a blind spot.high spot (high spots)
[N-COUNT] oft N of n
The high spot of an event or activity is the most exciting or enjoyable part of it.
Rough weather would have denied us a landing on the island, for me the high spot of the entire cruise.
= highlighthot spot (hot spots)
also hotspot
1 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an exciting place where there is a lot of activity or entertainment as a hot spot. (INFORMAL)
...a popular and lively package tour hotspot.
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an area where there is fighting or serious political trouble as a hot spot. (JOURNALISM)
There were many hot spots in the region, where fighting had been going on.spot check (spot checks)
also spot-check
[N-COUNT] oft N on n
If someone carries out a spot check, they examine one thing from a group in order to make sure that it is satisfactory.trou|ble spot (trouble spots)
also trouble-spot
[N-COUNT]
A trouble spot is a country or an area of a country where there is repeated fighting between two or more groups of people.
1 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Spots are small, round, coloured areas on a surface.
The leaves have yellow areas on the top and underneath are powdery orange spots...
The swimsuit comes in navy with white spots or blue with green spots.
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Spots on a person's skin are small lumps or marks.
Never squeeze blackheads, spots or pimples.
3 [N-COUNT] N of n
A spot of a liquid is a small amount of it. (mainly BRIT)
Spots of rain had begun to fall...
4 [QUANT] QUANT of n-uncount
If you have a spot of something, you have a small amount of it. (mainly BRIT)
Mr Brooke is undoubtedly in a spot of bother...
We've given all the club members tea, coffee and a spot of lunch.
= bit
5 [N-COUNT] usu supp N
You can refer to a particular place as a spot.
They stayed at several of the island's top tourist spots...
They all stood there staring, as if frozen to the spot.
6 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A spot in a television or radio show is a part of it that is regularly reserved for a particular performer or type of entertainment.
Unsuccessful at screen writing, he got a spot on a CNN film show.
= slot
7 [VERB] V n
If you spot something or someone, you notice them.
Vicenzo failed to spot the error...
see also spotted, black spot,
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
If you are on the spot, you are at the actual place where something is happening.
...areas where troops are on the spot and protecting civilians...
9 [PHRASE] PHR after v, PHR n
If you do something on the spot, you do it immediately.
James was called to see the producer and got the job on the spot...
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you put someone on the spot, you cause them to have to answer a difficult question or make a difficult decision.
He put me on the spot a bit because he invited me right in front of his mum and I didn't particularly want to go...
Even clever people are not terribly clever when put on the spot.
11
rooted to the spot: see rooted
to have a soft spot for someone: see softbeau|ty spot (beauty spots)
1 [N-COUNT]
A beauty spot is a place in the country that is popular because of its beautiful scenery.
The Valley of Vinales is a lush and fertile valley and one of Cuba's finest beauty spots.
2 [N-COUNT]
A beauty spot is a small, dark spot on the skin which is supposed to add to a woman's beauty.black spot (black spots)
also blackspot
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe a place, time, or part of a situation as a black spot, you mean that it is particularly bad or likely to cause problems. (BRIT)
There are recognised black spots in marriages which can lead to trouble...
2 [N-COUNT]
A black spot is a place on a road where accidents often happen. (BRIT)
The accident happened on a notorious black spot on the A43.blind spot (blind spots)
1 [N-COUNT]
If you say that someone has a blind spot about something, you mean that they seem to be unable to understand it or to see how important it is.
The prime minister has a blind spot on ethical issues...
When I was single I never worried about money-it was a bit of a blind spot.
2 [N-COUNT]
A blind spot is an area in your range of vision that you cannot see properly but which you really should be able to see. For example, when you are driving a car, the area just behind your shoulders is often a blind spot.high spot (high spots)
[N-COUNT] oft N of n
The high spot of an event or activity is the most exciting or enjoyable part of it.
Rough weather would have denied us a landing on the island, for me the high spot of the entire cruise.
= highlighthot spot (hot spots)
also hotspot
1 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an exciting place where there is a lot of activity or entertainment as a hot spot. (INFORMAL)
...a popular and lively package tour hotspot.
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to an area where there is fighting or serious political trouble as a hot spot. (JOURNALISM)
There were many hot spots in the region, where fighting had been going on.spot check (spot checks)
also spot-check
[N-COUNT] oft N on n
If someone carries out a spot check, they examine one thing from a group in order to make sure that it is satisfactory.trou|ble spot (trouble spots)
also trouble-spot
[N-COUNT]
A trouble spot is a country or an area of a country where there is repeated fighting between two or more groups of people.