From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdotdot1 /dɒt $ dɑːt/ ●●● S2 noun [countable] 1 MARKa small round mark or spot a pattern of dots2 → on the dot3 FARsomething that looks like a small spot because it is so far away The plane was just a dot on the horizon.4 TCTa short sound or flash of light used when sending messages by Morse code → dash → the year dot at year(14)
Examples from the Corpus
dot• The plane was just a dot in the sky.• A dot is placed in the appropriate column opposite each criterion and the dots are joined up by a line.• His fabric prints include lots of roses, hearts, and dots.• This is the city connected by dots.• Each dot is made of many tiny tubes - much too small to see without a microscope.• The O. J. Simpson civil trial resumes Monday, and with it, the defense strategy of connect the dots.• So basically Angela just connects the dots.• The reverse occurred on restoration of the dot key and depression of the dash key.• The children were dots on the sand, well ahead of him now, getting smaller all the time.dotdot2 ●○○ verb (dotted, dotting) [transitive] 1 MARKto mark something by putting a dot on it or above it She never dots her i’s.2 [usually passive]SPREAD if an area is dotted with things, there are a lot of them there but they are spread far apartbe dotted with something The lake was dotted with sailboats.be dotted about/around etc something The company has over 20 stores dotted around the country. Poppies dotted the field.Grammar Dot is often passive in this meaning.3 MARKto put a very small amount of something on a surface, especially in several placesdot something with something Dot the apples with butter.4 → dot the i’s and cross the t’s→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
dot• Dot the apples with butter cut into small pieces.• Computer screens displaying bulletin boards dot the college.• Chalet-style homes dot the forested hillside.• The ganja farms increased in rapid frequency, with hastily erected tents dotting the hillsides.• Moose and bear prints dotted the sand bars and bald eagles glared down at us from river-side perches.• Along the roadsides, spring wildflowers dot the shoulders like stars in sparse constellations.• There was, however, the matter of the gold brooch dotted with gemstones.• It was dotted with old stone-built houses and cottages.• From my door stretched blue-green fields dotted with trees and the colored saris of women going to work.be dotted about/around etc something• Low couches and upholstered cushions were dotted around the floor.• Some 200 restaurants and retail concessions will be dotted around the Expo site.• Stone ruins were dotted about the site, several yards apart, like an abandoned village whose streets had turned to pastureland.From Longman Business Dictionarydotdot /dɒtdɑːt/ noun [countable]1COMPUTINGa small round mark, for example the one used over the letter i. If you are telling someone your EMAIL address, you refer to the round mark between the words as dotIf you need to email me, you can contact me at john dot jones at pearson dot com.2on the dot informal if something happens at a certain time on the dot, it happens at exactly that timeThe meeting begins at 9.30 on the dot.3connect/join the dots to find or show that there is a relationship between several ideas, facts etcIt took years of work by a team of investigators to connect all the dots and show that he was guilty.Origin dot1 Old English dott “top of a spot on the skin” 