From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishspotspot1 /spɒt $ spɑːt/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1 placePLACEAREA a particular place or area, especially a pleasant place where you spend time a nice quiet spot on the beach I chose a spot well away from the road.in a spot a small cottage in an idyllic spoton a spot Why do they want to build a house on this particular spot?the exact/same/very spot the exact spot where the king was executedspot for an ideal spot for a picnic► see thesaurus at place2 area a usually round area on a surface that is a different colour or is rougher, smoother etc than the rest SYN patch a white cat with brown spotsspot of Two spots of colour appeared in Jill’s cheeks.3 markAREA a small mark on something, especially one that is made by a liquid There was a big damp spot on the wall.spot of a few spots of blood4 on skin a) a small round red area on someone’s skin that shows that they are ill He had a high fever and was covered in spots. b) British English a small raised red mark on someone’s skin, especially on their face SYN pimple Becka was very self-conscious about her spots.5 → on the spot6 → put somebody on the spot7 tv/radioAMT a short period of time when someone can speak or perform on radio or television He was given a 30-second spot just after the news. a guest spot on ‘The Tonight Show’ 8 positionPOSITION/RANK a position in a list of things or in a competition The budget has a regular spot on the agenda.in a spot Manchester United are still in the top spot after today’s win.9 → weak spot10 → tight spot11 → bright spot12 → a spot of something13 → spots of rain14 → five-spot/ten-spot etc → beauty spot, blackspot, blind spot, → change your spots at change1(16), → G-spot, → high point/spot at high1(12), → hit the spot at hit1(28), → hot spot, → knock spots off at knock1(19), → be rooted to the spot at root2(5), → have a soft spot for somebody at soft(16), → trouble spot
Examples from the Corpus
spot• Oh no, I've got a spot on my new shirt!• Gabel's wins earned him a spot on the Olympic team.• He had a bald spot, under a straggle of brown hair, and a ratty Fu Manchu moustache.• He has a bald spot on the top of his head.• But even Hymes has his blind spots.• Our cat is covered with big brown spots.• And after James Brooks dropped out of the directing spot, Ted Demme jumped in.• The museum sits on the exact spot where gold was first discovered.• The essay is good, but a few spots still need some work.• Detectives found a few spots of blood on the carpet.• This looks like a good spot to stop and rest.• Do you mind cleaning the grease spots behind the stove?• grease spots• There are bike trails to the highest spot on the island, which has magnificent views of San Francisco.• Supporters contend that Slaughterhouse Canyon is an ideal spot.• The letter was covered in small ink spots, as though his hand had been shaking as he wrote it.• It took me about twenty minutes to find a parking spot.• It looked like a perfect spot for a picnic.• a chicken-pox spot• Put some of the hardier plants outdoors in a protected spot.• She agreed to meet him at the same spot the next evening.• a 30-second spot on the local radio station• People had left flowers at the spot where the police officer was killed.• Soon, they ceased to live on the spot, and employed agents to do their work.• I stood frozen to the spot unable to do anything.• Las Vegas has a growing reputation as an entertainment and vacation spot.• I think on all these courses you've got to pick your spots.in a spot• As it stands, Fuller and the Warriors are in a spot neither wanted.• Now all eyes were directed to the wide stage, bathed in spots and footlights.• He got his popcorn and the lady laid his quarter change in a spot of melted butter on the glass.• A sharp eyed youngster should have no difficulty in spotting the loose change, that so often litter such areas.• The skill is in spotting these slight wind changes.• While working at Lyons Corner House in April 1942, he came out in spots.• They make me come out in spots.spot of• There were spots of blood on the rag. guest spot• Thomas's promotional tour included a guest spot on "The Tonight Show."• At last year's final, another pop group, Dollar, also mimed to a recording for its guest spot.in a spot• As it stands, Fuller and the Warriors are in a spot neither wanted.• Now all eyes were directed to the wide stage, bathed in spots and footlights.• He got his popcorn and the lady laid his quarter change in a spot of melted butter on the glass.• A sharp eyed youngster should have no difficulty in spotting the loose change, that so often litter such areas.• The skill is in spotting these slight wind changes.• While working at Lyons Corner House in April 1942, he came out in spots.• They make me come out in spots.spotspot2 ●●○ S3 verb (spotted, spotting) [transitive] 1 NOTICEto notice someone or something, especially when they are difficult to see or recognize I spotted a police car behind us. It can be hard for even a trained doctor to spot the symptoms of lung cancer.spot somebody doing something Meg spotted someone coming out of the building.difficult/easy to spot Drug addicts are fairly easy to spot.spot that One of the station staff spotted that I was in difficulty, and came to help.► see thesaurus at notice, see2 → be spotted with something3 American EnglishDSADVANTAGE to give the other player in a game an advantagespot somebody something He spotted me six points and he still won.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
spot• A resident spotted a man sitting in his car watching the explosion and notified the police.• If you are lucky, you will also spot a pelican or two.• It now appears that much of the change whose initial signs he spotted did in fact reflect a climatic shift.• Police finally caught up with Serrano when he was spotted eating in an Upper East Side restaurant.• Termites are often relatively easy to spot, especially in the early stages.• Even people who have been in the business for decades sometimes have trouble spotting impostor curls.• He was spotted in the Manhattan area in mid-May.• If you spot Mom and Dad coming, warn me.• She won't be difficult to spot -- she's got pink hair and weighs about 300 pounds.• She quickly spotted the danger of relying on Hal for everything.• Some children spotted the feet sticking out of the bushes by the roadside.• I'm glad you spotted the mistake before it was too late.• Drops of milk spotted the table.• If there are many volunteers then spotting them will be like trying to spot a needle in a haystack.• I dropped my keys in the grass, but luckily Jim spotted them.• I spotted this article about it in the paper.• They've spotted us - let's get out of here.• Smith told me later they had spotted Wilson making his way back to Ashley Gardens on foot.difficult/easy to spot• Fat cats are rare and easy to spot.• Hard to define but easy to spot.• The odd Militant supporter appears at the conference rostrum and is easy to spot.• They become bogeymen, earthly Aliens, and -- despite the fake human faces they develop -- very easy to spot.• Actual long coats, although difficult to spot at this age, will show in fluffy long hairs on the ears in particular.• Being almost the colour of the rocks, the Harpies are difficult to spot before they move.• Termites are often relatively easy to spot, especially in the early stages.• It's easy to spot flocks of geese as they migrate.spot somebody something• He spotted me six points and he still won.spotspot3 adjective [only before noun] BBfor buying or paying immediately, not at some future time They won’t take credit; they want spot cash. He quoted us a spot price for the goods.Examples from the Corpus
spot• At any moment the current spot exchange rate is the anticipated spot exchange rate discounted to the present.• Most of the change in the current spot exchange rate reflects changes in the anticipated spot exchange rate.• Both the four eye and spot fin have a posterior eye spot.• In Tokyo, spot gold was last quoted at $ 400. 25 per ounce.• All the gold fulfilled maturing forward contracts where the contract price exceeded the spot price.spot price• Market-wide information appeared to be a cause of futures prices leading spot prices.• This means that the futures price is likely to differ from the realized spot price.• However, the correlations between current changes in the spot price and lagged changes in the futures price were low.• The width of this band depends not only on f, but also on the spot price and the riskless interest rate.• There is a close relationship between futures prices and spot prices, especially as the delivery date approaches.• So to avoid significant arbitrage profits, the futures and spot prices must converge.• The fair futures prices is equal to the current spot price plus the cost of carry.From Longman Business Dictionaryspotspot /spɒtspɑːt/ adjective FINANCE involving delivery now, rather than in the futureThe settlement period for spot transactions is two business days.a spot cash payment (=for goods that are delivered immediately)Origin spot1 (1100-1200) Perhaps from Middle Dutch spotte 