spotn.¹adv.

Brit.

/spɒt/, U.S.

/spɑt/

Forms: Old English– spot, Middle English spoot, Middle English spoote, Middle English spoth, Middle English spowt, Middle English–1600s spote, Middle English–1600s spott, Middle English–1600s spotte; also Scottish 1700s– spat.

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Cognate with North Frisian spote , spōt speck, spot, piece of ground, Middle Dutch spotte , (rare) spot stain, blot, small piece, bit (Dutch (now regional: West Flanders) spot , spotte stain, (specifically) a physical stain or blot left by moisture or a liquid substance), German regional (Low German: East Friesland) spot stain, freckle, Old Icelandic spotti , spottr small piece, bit, Norwegian (Nynorsk) spott speck, spot, piece of ground, Old Danish spot speck, spot. The general rarity of the word among the earliest stages of the Germanic languages suggests that the later spread may reflect some degree of borrowing between languages, although if so the direction of borrowing is unclear. Further etymology uncertain: perhaps related to the Germanic base of spew v., although the phonology presents difficulties.Specific senses. In sense A. 2c originally after the corresponding Hellenistic Greek specific use of ancient Greek σπίλος spot, stain (see spilus n.). In sense A. 9c short for spot stroke n. at Compounds 5. In senses A. 17, B., after on the spot adv. 3. Form history. Some of the Middle English spelling forms indicate the existence of a variant with lengthened stem vowel. Place-name evidence. Earlier currency in sense A. 24 is perhaps implied by apparent use as a generic element in place names from the north of England and Scotland (compare e.g. Spot , East Lothian (1153–65; now Spott), Morspot (field name), Kirkby Thore, Westmorland (1179), Medeuspot , Midlothian (1367; now Meadowspot), and possibly also by names where the element appears to function as a determiner, as e.g. Spoforde , West Riding, Yorkshire (1086; late 12th cent. as Spotford ; now Spofforth), Spotlond , Lancashire (c1180; now Spotland), although the intended sense is less clear in such cases. However, some of these names may rather reflect use of the corresponding early Scandinavian word. Use as byname and surname. The word is attested early as a byname and surname. The earliest occurrences probably reflect sense A. 1a rather than use as a place name; compare Wulfric Spot (died a1004, but his byname is not recorded until the 13th cent.), Hugo Spotte (1194), Geoffrey Spot (1268).

A. n.¹

I. A stain or blemish; a flaw.

1. In scientific and technical uses.

a. A small localized lesion of the skin (or of a mucous membrane), typically discoloured and often raised, resulting from disease or infection, such as a papule, pustule, or pimple.Now relatively uncommon in North American use.milk spot, rose spot: see the first element. See also red spot n. 1.In quot. 1260 in a surname.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > blemish > [noun] > spot or mark

spotOE

markOE

tachea1400

macula?a1425

ruby1542

plotch1548

flea-biting1552

fleck1598

blanch1608

staina1616

naeve1619

neve1624

dark1637

sunspot1651

pip1676

liver spot1684

beauty spot1795

heat-spot1822

spilus1822

ink-spot1839

punctation1848

punctuation1848

macule1864

soldier's spots1874

pock1894

mouche1959

OE Sedulius Glosses (Corpus Cambr. 173) in F. Sandgren Otium et Negotium (1973) 212 Maculis : wom uel spot.

1260 in J. Jönsjö Stud. Middle Eng. Nicknames (1979) 168 Joh. Spotothebrowe.

c1425 tr. J. Arderne Treat. Fistula (Sloane 6) (1910) 50 Al spottez or filþez of þe skyn which giffeþ oute watre.

c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 82 So þe pestelence come...& when he had þe spottys þe fadur held hym vp in his armys.

1560 Bible (Geneva) Lev. xiii. 4 If the white spot be in y^e skin of his flesh [etc.].

1586 Bk. Pretty Conceits a.7b Anoint your face or hands with the oyl of tartar, and it will clear them from all spots, freckles, pimples, &c.

1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Rousseurs, little, red, wan, or blackish pimples or spots in the face, &c.

1669 W. Simpson Hydrologia Chymica 72 In its road it leaves its character of Spots, Stains, Blotches, Buboes, Ulcers, &c. in..the skin.

1725 N. Robinson New Theory of Physick 296 Scorbutic Spots and Blotches emboss the Legs, Arms, and Thighs.

1781 W. Cowper Expostulation 105 His unsuspecting sheep..Catch from each other a contagious spot, The foul forerunner of a gen'ral rot.

1789 Massachusetts Spy 15 Jan. 1/4 For common spots, or bunched cancers, put some of the salts on lint.

1803 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 10 487 The spots [of measles and urticaria] are usually discrete, insulated.

1843 E. S. Abdy tr. R. von Falkenstein Water Cure (ed. 2) 53 A girl..had..several spots in the face.

1936 C. Beaton Diary in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) v. 45 His face swelled and broke out in spots.

1998 Zest Oct. 54/2 Most spots are caused by blocked hair follicles, which leads to inflammation and infection.

2002 T. Mitchell & A. Dudley Acne 123 Attractive assistants can make you feel very intimidated, especially as most of them seem so perfectly made up without a spot or rash in sight!

†b. A small, circumscribed lesion on or in the eye, spec. an opacity of the cornea; the condition of having such a lesion. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of eye > [noun] > other marks or spots

spot1340

maculaa1400

nubecula1699

feather1847

conus1886

siderosis1892

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 237 (MED) Þe spot..is wel uouler ine þe eȝen þanne ine oþre lemes of þe bodye.

?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 105^v (MED) Of sikenez of cornee..ffirst of maculez, i. spottys, after of catharactez.

?c1450 in G. Müller Aus Mittelengl. Medizintexten (1929) 72 (MED) For a spot in þe eye.

1500 Ortus Vocabulaorum sig. Qiiij/1 Glaucoma, a spott in the eye.

a1625 T. Lodge Poore Mans Talentt (1881) 19 The spotts in the eies may easily bee cured in the yonger sort.

1639 O. Wood Alphabet. Bk. Physicall Secrets 59 This cureth Spot, Pearle, Web, or any thing else in the Eye.

c. A dark or contrasting mark on the disc of the moon, the sun, or other celestial object. Cf. sunspot n. 2.Also figurative in spots in the sun: blemishes or imperfections in a character otherwise unblemished (cf. sense A. 2a). See also red spot n. 3, white spot n. 2. Great Dark Spot, Great Red Spot, Great White Spot: see great adj., n., adv., and int. Compounds 1e.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the universe > heavenly body > [noun] > disc > mark on

spot1565

1565 B. Googe tr. ‘M. Palingenius’ Zodiake of Life (new ed.) xi. sig. SS.iij^v What are the blackish spots that in the Moone we may beholde?

1605 W. Camden Remaines ii. 15 Of the fiery coulour of the planet Mars, and the spotts in the Moone he giueth this reason.

a1641 R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 117 It is lately discovered that spots are in the Sun: and if our sight deceive us not, there be in the Moone.

1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 48 You discover him by his Phrases, as apparently as you can the Spots of the Moon with a Telescope.

1785 W. Cowper Task i. 714 Where finds Philosophy her eagle eye, With which she gazes at yon burning disk Undazzled, and detects and counts his spots?

1854 L. Tomlinson tr. D. F. J. Arago Pop. Lect. Astron. 79 The spots, which have served for determining the period of the rotation of Mars.

1890 C. A. Young Elem. Astron. §363 No spots are visible from which to determine the planet's [sc. Uranus's] diurnal rotation.

1931 Times Lit. Suppl. 20 Aug. 630/4 He had his small tyrannies and pedantries... Mr. Nowell Smith..candidly acknowledges the spots in the sun.

1981 P. C. Sherrod & T. L. Keod Compl. Man. Amateur Astron. (2003) x. 182/1 Frequently, in the equatorial and tropical regions [of Saturn], you can see large white spots or ovals similar to those described..as occurring on Jupiter.

2003 J. Scalzi Rough Guide to Universe iii. 34 The Sun is actually brighter the more sunspots it has, thanks to faculae—intensely bright spots on the Sun.

d. Any of various diseases of plants marked by the occurrence of abnormal localized discolorations on the leaves or fruit, often of fungal origin. Usually with modifying word.chocolate spot, coral-spot, halo spot, leaf-spot, marsh spot, etc.: see the first element. See also black spot n. 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > disease or injury > [noun] > type of disease > fungal > associated with trees > discolouration caused by

stain1731

spot1800

sap-stain1910

sap-staining1910

1800 C. Marshall Introd. Knowl. & Pract. Gardening (ed. 3) xx. 390 Cucumbers cover on nights to prevent the spot.

1852 Beck's Florist 140 How to prevent the ‘spot’, and some other diseases to which Pelargoniums are heir.

1905 Daily News 14 Apr. 4 That dread disease of cucumber and melon plants, known as ‘spot’.

1988 I. M. Smith European Handbk. Plant Dis. xiii. 380/2 The fungus [Pyrenophora teres] exists in two forms, a net form and a spot form which differ only in the symptoms produced on barley.

1999 D. Ingram & N. Robertson Plant Dis. iv. 83 The importance of these pathogens lies in their capacity to carry important viruses from plant to plant, including..cucumber necrosis and melon necrotic spot.

e. colloquial. An egg inside which a dark patch can be seen when it is held before a light. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1894 Daily News 1 Feb. 7/1 The eggs..are what we call ‘spots’, half good and half bad.

1913 W. D. Richardson in Allen's Commerc. Org. Anal. (ed. 4) VIII. 448 Spots are eggs which show a spot in the interior when candled.

1914 Amer. Poultry Jrnl. Sept. 1166/2 ‘Spots’ are eggs that contain mould spots, rot spots from mould, yolk adhering to shell, or partly developed embryos.

1932 F. W. Tanner Microbiol. Foods xviii. 515 Frozen eggs prepared from spots, rots, and blood rings gave a bacterial count of 4,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 per gram.

f. On an X-ray or other radiological scan: an localized area of contrasting density indicative of the presence of abnormal tissue.

ΚΠ

1899 Philadelphia Monthly Med. Jrnl. 1 168 (table) Infarct. Dark spot or spots generally found towards the periphery of the lung.

1917 ‘K. Mansfield’ Let. 23 Dec. (1977) I. 356 That left lung of mine..is ‘no end better’ but there is a spot in my right lung.

1961 J. Carew Last Barbarian 93 He went down with pneumonia and after he recovered the doctors found a spot on his lungs.

1999 N. Jelsing Prostate Cancer 170 When I looked at those X rays with my doctor, I saw a spot on my breast.

2010 N.Y. Times 30 Aug. a9 A CT scan a week later revealed abnormal spots on his kidneys, and he was referred to an oncologist.

a. A moral stain, blot, or blemish; a moral flaw. Also as a mass noun (see also without spot at Phrases 1e).Frequently as a figurative use of sense A. 3.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > [noun] > a stain or slur

spota1225

umberc1380

blotc1386

maculate1490

touch1508

blemish1526

blur1548

attaint1592

stain1594

attainder1597

tachec1610

sullya1616

tainta1616

smutch1648

slur1662

woad1663

a blot on an escutcheon1697

blotch1860

smear1943

a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 95 Wepeð forð mid me..and waschen ðe spottes of ure euele ðeawes!

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 200 Þes god is y-cleped lyȝt. Vor he clenzeþ þe onderstondinge of man of þiesternesse of prede and of spottes of zenne.

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 764 (MED) Cum hyder to me, my lemman swete, For mote ne spot is non in þe.

a1450 (?c1405) in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 29 [Let] No fende spot vppon the spyȝe.

a1475 tr. Thomas à Kempis De Imitatione Christi (Cambr. Gg.1.16) (1997) iii. lxi. 140 Lete vs put no spotte in oure glory in fleynge fro þe crosse.

a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) iii. f. Clxxxv^v This spot of synne god dothe away.

1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. cxxix To the intent they myght washe out this spotte, they inuente an other waye more easye.

1639 S. Du Verger tr. J.-P. Camus Admirable Events 45 I had rather dye a thousand deaths, then to set such a spot on my blood, and posterity.

1650 T. Hubbert Pilula 104 Neither should their spot have been differenced or known from the spot of the wicked.

1735 A. Pope Of Char. of Women 8 Ladies like variegated Tulips show, 'Tis to their Changes half their Charms we owe; Such happy Spots the nice Admirer take, Fine by defect, and delicately weak.

1785 W. Cowper Tirocinium in Task 329 Safe under such a wing, the boy shall show No spots contracted among grooms below.

1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. ii. i. 104 The Gironde has touched, this day, on the foul black-spot of its fair Convention Domain.

1845 C. Dickens Chimes ii. 72 As to character,..[they] will..have it as free from spot or speck in us, afore they'll help us.

1942 E. B. White One Man's Meat 200 The punky spots in the character of free men will have to be cut out before it is too late.

1994 Economist 24 Sept. 26 The obvious dark spots on America's record––the displacement of the Indians, slavery, Jim Crow.

†b. With of or possessive. A stigma or stain left by a specified sin or disgrace. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > [noun] > a moral blemish or stain

smitOE

wem?c1225

tachec1330

spot1340

wrinklea1400

tackc1425

iron mould1584

iron mole1599

soil1600

taintment1633

smirch1862

the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > [noun] > a stain or slur > of something disgraceful

spot1340

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 237 (MED) Alsuo is þe spot of lecherie more uouler..ine clerkes and ine prelas þanne ine leawede uolke.

a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate Siege Thebes (Arun.) (1911) l. 4132 (MED) Ȝif..the shyning of her Fame Eclipsid were with eny spotte of blame.

c1475 in J. P. Genet Four Eng. Polit. Tracts (1977) 194 A kynge and a Prince shuld have in his counsaill wyse folke..with oute the spotte of covetyse.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxviij Lest, he..should be noted with the spot of Nygardshyp.

1567 in 6th Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS: Pt. I (1877) 642/1 in Parl. Papers (C. 1745) XLVII. 1 Quhairin gif we failze, we ar content to vndirly the spot of vntrewth, ingraitnes, and defamatioun.

1603 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1884) 1st Ser. VI. 524 The perpetuall spott of perjurie dew to thame for thair violatioun of the said assuirance.

1647 N. Bacon Hist. Disc. Govt. 92 First twelve men inquired of the fame and ground thereof, which if liked rendred the party under the spot of delinquency.

1761 W. Cruden Hymns on Variety of Divine Subj. lxi. 81 Bright surrounding choirs may see, Thee purge black envy's spot.

1883 Jrnl. Educ. (Univ. of Boston School of Educ.) 15 Feb. 102/3 He was ever ready to cover with a generous word the spot of blame.

1914 J. L. Gordon All's Love yet All's Law viii. 141 The modern saint is not ‘unspotted’. There's the gray spot of uncertainty, the green spot of envy, the red spot of anger, [etc.].

†c. A person who is morally stained; a disgrace. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > disgrace or dishonour > [noun] > of specific person

reproacha1456

spot1526

1526 Bible (Tyndale) 2 Pet. ii. 13 Spottes [Gk. σπίλοι] they are and filthynes.

1526 Bible (Tyndale) Jude 12 These are spottes [Gk. σπιλάδες] which..feast togedder.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) iv. xiii. 35 Follow his Chariot, like the greatest spot Of all thy Sex.

c1616 R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) vi. 2476 By some devill got, For man could never, sure, beget a spot Of such vncleannesse.

1673 W. Wycherley Gentleman Dancing-master 89 Thou spot, sploach of my Family and blood.

a. A physical stain, blot, or blemish, esp. on cloth; a flaw or defect in appearance or construction. Also as a mass noun (see also without spot at Phrases 1e).In quot. ?c1225 in figurative context (cf. sense A. 2a).

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [noun] > spotted condition > spot

speckc725

moleeOE

spot?c1225

wen1340

spleck1398

tachea1400

motec1400

macule?a1425

smot1532

fleck1598

iron mould1638

flecket1684

sye1781

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 213 Hwen þeþocht geað inwart..and þe lust waxeð þenne as wes spot ear up on þe hwite hude þer waxeð wunde.

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 228 Þe huite robe huerinne þe spot is uouler and more yzyenne þanne in anoþer cloþ.

c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xiii. l. 315 Þi best cote..Hath many moles and spottes it moste ben ywasshe.

a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) l.1183 She toke the Shirte..And wesht it..so clene That afterward was noo spotte on it seen.

1569 R. Androse tr. ‘Alessio’ 4th Bk. Secretes iii. 48 If you drop it [sc. Oyle of Balme] vppon a wollen cloth it will make no spot.

1591 J. Harington tr. L. Ariosto Orlando Furioso xxxiiii. lxx. 286 The Moone was like a glasse all voyd of spot.

1617 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. iv. ii. 174 They cannot bee more prouoked, then by casting any spot vpon their white heads [i.e. turbans].

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 213 The Diamond..Without Spots or Foulness, is called a Paragon-stone, and in full Perfection.

1721 tr. M.-C. D'Aulnoy Coll. Novels & Tales II. 164 Sir, my Heart always achs when I see you in a Passion in a dirty Place, which proceeds from my Fear of getting Spots upon my Clothes.

1785 W. Cowper Task iv. 554 The stain Appears a spot upon a vestal's robe, The worse for what it soils.

1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. vii. 197 All retorts with spots..in the part to be heated, should be rejected.

1841 Edinb. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 56 242 Spots left by drops of red ink, which had fallen on thin paper previously moistened.

1865 Cork Examiner 14 Feb. A spot on the shirt appeared to me to be blood.

1938 Amer. Home Oct. 50/2 Salty foods will also cause tarnish and black spots, therefore, it is very important to wash table silver in hot soapy water immediately after each meal.

1953 A. Hosain Phoenix Fled 161 He felt a perverse pride in each frayed edge, worn patch, darkening spot on his clothes as underlining his personal integral worth.

2014 Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 14 Oct. 7 This turns up as brownish spots on light-colored sheets and walls.

b. With of or modifying word. A stain or mark made by a specified substance.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense A. 23a.bloodspot, dirt-spot, ink-spot, oil spot: see the first element.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [noun] > stained condition > stain

lita1325

pleckc1350

blotc1400

smodc1400

discolouring?a1425

spot?a1425

stain1583

denigration1641

discolouration1666

staddle1691

discolour1812

spang1839

blotting1842

suddle1861

staddle-stead1868

dabble1871

staddle-mark1876

?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 36 Ȝit þe spottes of þe qwhit mylk er sene apon þe stanes.

c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 150 Onone as sho tuchid it þer apperid a dropp & a spott of blude.

1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Greasines, or spottes of grease, or filthynes.

1590 E. Digby Dissuasiue 152 If the glasse nowe set before your face bee true..why doe you not behold this spotte of earth, wherewith your face is so besprented?

a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. ii. 254 An innocent hand. Not painted with the Crimson spots of blood.

1677 G. Miege New Dict. French & Eng. ii. sig. Zz3^v A spot of oyl upon a sute of cloaths.

1714 Boston News-let. 30 Aug. 2/2 (advt.) A new Long Boat of Seventeen Foot long, prim'd with Red, several spots of Pitch in the Bowe.

1736 N. Bailey Dict. Domesticum (at cited word) To take a Spot of Oil out of Sattin, &c.

1825 W. Scott Talisman xv, in Tales Crusaders IV. 329 What signifies counting the spots of dirt that we are about to wash from our hands?

1927 R. B. McKerrow Introd. to Bibliography for Literary Students 234 Evidence..from water-stains, rust-spots, and dirt-marks.

a1930 D. H. Lawrence Mod. Lover (1934) 288 Do you think he'd flown over, with bicycle-clips round his trouser-ankles and spots of mud on his nose?

1981 K. Thear in K. Thear & A. Fraser Compl. Bk. Livestock & Poultry (1988) ii. 45/2 If you want to clean the eggs you can remove isolated spots of dirt with sandpaper.

2001 J. Wolcott Catsitters xxxviii. 251 The fresh spots of blood on the cuffs of my white shirt looked like hollyberries.

II. A mark or dot; something distinguished by this.

a. A small, usually roundish, mark of a different colour or appearance from the surface on which it appears. Also in extended use.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > [noun]

spota1300

dropc1420

stud1751

gout1833

wafer1853

blob1863

pock1894

tache1957

a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) l. 536 He is blac so bro of qual, Mið wite spottes sapen al.

?c1400 tr. Secreta Secret. (Sloane) (1977) 12 (MED) Þat man es..moste reprouable..whose eyghne haue alle aboute spottes, white, rede, or blak.

?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 101 Þai hafe on þaire heuedes a reed spotte.

a1505 R. Henryson Test. Cresseid 260 in Poems (1981) 119 Hir gyte was gray and full of spottis blak.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Jer. xiii. 23 Like as the man of Inde maye chaunge his skynne, & the cat of the mountayne hir spottes.

1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream ii. i. 11 The cowslippes tall her Pensioners bee, In their gold coats, spottes you see.

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vi. 292 The Countrey..ouer-cled heere and there with spots of Sheepe and Goates.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost viii. 23 This Earth a spot, a graine, An Atom, with the Firmament compar'd..this opacous Earth, this punctual spot .

a1771 T. Gray Statius in Mem. (1775) 10 A tyger's pride..With native spots and artful labour gay.

1844 E. R. Mardon Billiards 111 The marked ball should have but one spot, and that as small as possible.

1883 G. Stables Our Friend the Dog vii. 61 Spot—A hollow between the eyes, marking the union of the frontal with the nasal bones.

1928 Times 7 May 19/6 With white tennis dresses go short spotted coats, red, blue, yellow, or green spots on a white ground.

1998 D. Bilu tr. Y. Shabtai in World Lit. Today 72 518/2 She..put on her white dress with the red spots, and tied the purple silk scarf around her neck.

2014 Science 19 Dec. 1439/3 That obsession is still on view with horses with ‘leopard spots’—white coats with dark spots, such as those in Appaloosas.

†b. A fabric decorated with dots or spots. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > patterned > spotted

spot1798

1798 J. Austen Let. 25 Dec. (1995) 30 My coarse spot, I shall turn..into a petticoat very soon.

1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 1232 The draught and cording of a spot whose two sides are similar, but reversed.

5. A small dark mark or patch painted or placed on the face to enhance beauty or to conceal a blemish. Now only in beauty spot n. 2.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the face > [noun] > adorning with patches > ornamental patches or spots

spot1578

patch1592

beauty spot1647

fly1658

mouche1676

gunpowder spot1681

powder-spot1683

beauty patch1691

mouchet1699

coquette patch1705

1578 J. Lyly Euphues f. 44 Their shadows, their spottes, their lawnes,..their ruffes, their rings.

1592 J. Lyly Midas i. ii. sig. A4^v Earerings, borders, crippins, shadowes, spots, and so many other trifles.

1665 S. Pepys Diary 13 Jan. (1972) VI. 9 The first time that ever I saw her to wear spots.

1667 L. Stuckley Gospel-glasse xxi. 214 Are not some puff'd up with their fine Clothes,..Ribbons, Dressings, yea with their very Spots?

1719 F. Tolson Octavius Prince of Syra 17 A comely Ruff about her Neck was worn, No spots of Fancy did her Face adorn.

1776 J. Strutt Horda Angel-Cynnan III. 102 Vice..is set forth without any handkerchief, and her stays cut low,..and various black spots or patches upon her face.

1874 Hist. Great Brit. iii. 129 Tory ladies wearing the spots on the left temple, and Whigs on the right.

2009 Community Care 7 May 34/1 For tens of thousands of years we've altered our appearence [sic] with woad, white lead, beauty spots and wigs, but today, it's a huge business.

6. Each of the pips or symbols on a playing card that together denote its rank or value. Cf. two-spot, five-spot, etc., at Phrases 2b(a), and spot card n. at Compounds 5. Now chiefly U.S.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > pip or spot

spot1578

pip1604

pippet1940

1578 J. Stockwood Serm. Barthelmew Day 142 They perfectlye can tell howe manye spottes there be in a payre of Cardes..when as they scarce reade a leafe of the Bible twice in a Moneth.

1656 Duchess of Newcastle Natures Pictures iii. 141 A dilation of the Thoughts, bid him take the Eyes of Dice, and the Spots of Cards, and the Chequers of Chess boards, and the Points of Table men, and put those together.

1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester vi. 80 The Cards are all valued according to the number of the spots they bear, the Ace only excepted, which wins all other Cards, and goes for eleven.

1701 N. Grew Cosmol. Sacra i. iii. 15 On the Sides of the Glass it sometimes Chrystallizes into perfect Rhombs, like the Spots in the Diamond Card.

1749 B. Martin Lingua Britannica Reformata Pip, a spot upon cards.

1830 R. Hardie Hoyle made Familiar 53 The pictured cards count for ten, and the rest according to the spots.

1861 New Orleans Daily Crescent 4 Feb. 2/4 A fellow..who can take a five shooting revolver in each hand and knock the spots off the ten of diamonds at eighty paces.

1922 Evening World (N.Y.) 11 Mar. (Fiction section) 4/1 The spots on the cards have nothing to do with the trick.

1977 D. Anthony Stud Game xix. 118 I had a poker game... I played mechanically, counting spots and backing the odds.

1996 S. Winebrenner Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in Regular Classroom xiii. 216 Teach her how cards with more spots ‘win’ over cards with fewer spots.

7. A variety of domestic pigeon having predominantly white plumage with a spot of another colour above the beak. Now rare.See also spot fairy n., spot pigeon n. at Compounds 5.

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the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Columbiformes (pigeons, etc.) > domestic pigeon > [noun] > spot pigeon

spot1676

spot pigeon1783

1676 F. Willughby & J. Ray Ornithologiæ 133 Spots, Anglicè, quoniam in fronte supra rostrum maculam habent singulæ.

1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Pigeon There are, indeed, many Sorts of Pigeons, such as..Barbs,..Owls, Spots, Trumpeters.

1765 Treat. Domest. Pigeons 132 The Spot..is about the size of a small runt, and was brought hither from Holland.

1834 R. Mudie Feathered Tribes Brit. Islands I. 74 The principal ones [sc. pigeons] are..the Smiter, the Spot, the Tumbler [etc.].

1861 C. Darwin Origin of Species (ed. 3) 26 I also crossed a barb with a spot, which is a white bird with a red tail and red spot on the forehead.

1881 J. C. Lyell Fancy Pigeons 73 The spot has been described by every English writer, including Willoughby, and is common on the Continent.

1958 C. A. Naether Bk. of Pigeon (ed. 4) v. 111 American fanciers seem to favor two varieties in particular—the Full-head and the Spot or Fairy Swallow.

a. With distinguishing word or words, specifying the type or number of spots, in the names of moths or butterflies having a distinctive spot or spots on the wing, and in the names of ladybirds having a characteristic number of spots on the elytra. Also attributive.See also white spot n. 1.

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1769 J. Berkenhout Outl. Nat. Hist. Great Brit. & Ireland I. 144 White Spot Tussock-Moth.

1832 J. Rennie Conspectus Butterflies & Moths Brit. 153 The Diamond Spot.

1873 J. G. Wood Insects at Home 491 An example of another family..is the rare and conspicuous White-Spot (Ennychia octomaculalis).

1901 M. C. Dickerson Moths & Butterflies iii. 325 The Regal Silver-spot, one of the largest of the group, can be found getting the nectar from swamp milkweeds and will be confused at first sight with the Monarch.

1913 W. F. Kirby Butterflies & Moths, in Romance & Reality 123 The Gold-spot..has rusty brown fore wings, varied with gold-colour, with two silvery pear-shaped spots in the middle.

1966 J. Sankey Chalkland Ecol. v. 113 Large populations of several species of aphids were discovered as well as two-spot ladybirds Adalia bipunctata.

2004 Daily Tel. 5 Oct. 6/4 There are around 40 species of ladybird in Britain ranging from the common seven spot and two spot to the more unusual and specialist pine and orange ladybirds.

2010 Bird Observatories Brit. & Ireland (Bird Observatories Council) 151 The Sussex Emerald, the White Spot..and various other species..are nationally scarce.

b. Either of two sciaenid fishes found in the West Atlantic: the small Leiostomus xanthurus, which has a dark spot behind the gills, and (U.S.) the red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, which has an eyespot near the tail.See also spotfish n. at Compounds 5.

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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > member of leiostomus xanthurus (spot)

goody1855

spot1864

roach1873

spotfish1875

the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > fish > other edible fish

dogdrave1227

lamprey1297

lingc1300

loach1357

tench1390

carpc1440

rougetc1485

anchovy1582

pompano1598

tai1620

alewife1633

tug-whitingc1650

weakfish1686

ten-pounder1699

fire-flaira1705

tusk1707

porgy1725

katsuo1727

rockfish1731

tautog1750

sea bass1765

Albany beef1779

sable1810

Murray cod1843

paradise fish1858

spot1864

strawberry bass1867

nannygai1871

maomao1873

spotfish1875

strawberry perch1877

milkfish1880

tarwhine1880

tile-fish1881

latchett1882

tile1893

anago1895

flake1906

branzino1915

rascasse1921

lampuki1925

red fish1951

the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > genus Sciaena > sciaena ocellata (red drum)

bass1530

drummer1615

drum1649

red drum1709

drummer fish1725

red fish1763

red sciaena1803

red bass1837

spot1864

school bass1869

channel bass1873

spotfish1875

masooka1884

red horse1884

red1958

1864 T. Norris Amer. Angler's Bk. 290 The most common name along the New Jersey Coast is ‘Goody’. It is known at Lewes, Delaware..as the ‘Spot’, from the mark near the gill-cover.

1885 Harper's Mag. Jan. 221/1 It might be a spot..or a tarpon.

1902 D. S. Jordan & B. W. Evermann Amer. Food & Game Fishes 260 For bait use live mullet, spot, grunt, or other small fish.

1961 E. S. Herald Living Fishes of World 192/1 The spot, Leiostomus xanthurus.., is easily recognized by the spot above the base of the pectoral fin.

2002 Chesapeake Bay Mag. Aug. 73/1 The list of usual suspects is actually fairly small: silversides, bay anchovies,..juvenile spot and croakers.

a. Billiards, Snooker, Pool, etc. A round dot marking a place on the table where a particular ball is positioned; spec. (a) Billiards (with the) the dot at the upper end of the table used for the red ball; (b) Snooker each of the six dots used for the colours.

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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [noun] > table > positions on table

spot1775

striking-ring1814

D1873

1775 ‘Connoisseur’ Ann. Gaming viii. 112 The red ball is placed as usual, on the spot made for that purpose.

1807 E. White Pract. Treat. Billiards ii. 35 After the red ball has been holed and replaced upon the spot, it will be advisable to adopt the latter mode of play.

1857 ‘Capt. Crawley’ Billiards (ed. 2) i. 5 Three spots will be found on all good tables..the third a distance of thirteen inches from the cushion. This is called the spot.

1902 Times 15 Mar. 14/2 Stevenson came out at the top of his form with a splendid break of 221, breaking down, after the balls had touched, at the simple loser off the centre spot.

1945 Official Rule Bk. All Pocket & Carom Billiard Games (Billiard Congr. Amer.) 35 If the 1- and 3-balls are illegally pocketed, the 1-ball is placed on the foot spot and the 3-ball is frozen behind it on the string.

1989 Snooker Scene Jan. 17/2 Davis went to..8–3 with a break of 84 after Parrott, first in with 25, had missed a black from its spot.

2003 Times 1 Dec. 36/8 In the thirteenth frame, he unexpectedly overcut a pink from its spot.

b. Billiards. With the. The white cue ball marked with a black spot (also more fully spot ball, spot white). Also: the player who plays with this ball.A yellow ball is now normally substituted for the spot in tournament play.

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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [noun] > ball > ball in specific position

object ball1857

quarter ball1857

spot1857

player1868

cue-ball1873

object white1904

1857 ‘C. Bede’ Nearer & Dearer ii. 14 I can't make out the red from the spot.

1857 ‘C. Bede’ Nearer & Dearer i. 1 ‘How is the game?’ ‘Twenty spot; ten striker.’

1873 J. Bennett & ‘Cavendish’ Billiards 25 One ball is coloured red; the other two are white, but one of the white balls has a black spot on it, and is called the Spot-white.

1923 Humorist 20 Oct. 314/1 I took spot, and gave her a miss in baulk. ‘That's one to you,’ I explained.

1976 Spectator 24 Jan. 30/1 The billiards people wouldn't even let us put an R on the spot ball instead of the usual spot.

2009 S. Waddell Road Back Home (2010) xii. 207 He swooped elegantly to manoeuvre the balls, cannoning spot white to red and plain white.

†c. Billiards. A shot that pockets the red ball, esp. one that leaves the cue ball in a position to repeat the shot. Obsolete (see note at spot stroke n. at Compounds 5).With quot. 1873 cf. spot-barred adj. at Compounds 5.

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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [noun] > actions or types of play > type of stroke

hazard1674

carambole1775

carom1779

cannon1802

screw1825

sidestroke1834

following stroke1837

cannonade1844

five-stroke1847

follow1850

scratch1850

fluke1857

jenny1857

bank shot1859

angle shot1860

draw shot1860

six-stroke1861

run-through1862

spot1868

quill1869

dead-stroke1873

loser1873

push1873

push stroke1873

stab1873

stab screw1873

draw1881

force1881

plant1884

anchor cannon1893

massé1901

angle1902

cradle-cannon1907

pot1907

jump shot1909

carry-along1913

snooker1924

1868 Bell's Life in London 31 Oct. 2/6 This break, the largest of the day, comprised 22 consecutive ‘spots’.

1873 Bell's Life in London 8 Feb. 3/4 Bennett and Stanley had a match for £100, at the Albert Club, 1,000 up (spot barred).

1880 Times 28 Sept. 11/5 He kept possession of the table until he had added up 151 (40 spots).

1908 Manch. Courier 19 Mar. 3/4 This 4,000 up match, level, with Peall allowed 100 consecutive spots, was finished at Burroughes and Watts.

10. A small patch of light, darkness, or colour perceived in the field of vision as a result of a physiological or pathological process occurring within the eye; spec. a floater (floater n. Additions). Chiefly in plural. Cf. muscae volitantes n.See also to see spots at Phrases 2f.

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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of eye > disordered vision > [noun] > specks or sparks before eye

stars1598

synchysis1684

muscae volitantes1715

spot1785

phosphene1852

muscae1856

sparkling synchisis1859

spark1899

floater1902

1785 G. Wallis tr. F. Boissier de la Croix de Sauvages Nosologia Methodica Oculorum ix. 255 They observe lucid points, or small spots before them, which fly in different directions.

1808 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 19 313 Dark spots floating constantly before the eye.

1898 Denver Evening Post 23 Feb. 3/4 (advt.) If you have any symptoms of the dread malady, eye dimness, spots or specks before the eyes, unrefreshful sleep [etc.].

1951 J. Hawkes Land x. 234 I look straight at the sun..then it is gone, leaving only a dancing green spot on my retina.

1998 Zest Sept. 53/2 About ten per cent of [migraine] sufferers get visual warning signals such as shimmering or spots in front of their eyes before the onset of the headache.

2005 Chicago Tribune (Midwest ed.) 16 Jan. xiii. 6 a/1 Spots before the eyes, or floaters, certainly can be annoying.

11. Building. Short for spot board n. at Compounds 5.

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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > [noun] > plasterer's tools > board or tray

boss1542

hand board1688

hawk1700

spot board1877

spot1922

1922 E. J. Evans Building Contracts xviii. 81 It is essential that all plant, such as Derby's sieves, cornice moulds..spots, scaffolding, etc.,..be on site in readiness.

1927 A. H. Telling ABC of Plastering 195 It is part of the labourer's business to see that the ‘spot’ is supplied with ‘stuff’ for the plasterer's use.

1964 J. S. Scott Dict. Building 307 Spot board or gauge board or spot, a plasterer's board about 3 ft square on which he works up the plaster before he puts it on. It rests on a stand about 27 in. high.

12. In greyhound racing: one hundredth of a second. [Perhaps with reference to one-hundredth of a second being marked by a spot on an analogue stopwatch.]

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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > greyhound racing > [noun] > specific division of time in race

spot1977

1977 Daily Mirror 16 Mar. 29/3 His time of 29.47s. was thirteen spots faster than that recorded by Gaily Noble two races later.

1992 Sporting Life 9 Oct. (Greyhound Life Suppl.) 1/1 The 5–4 favourite could finish only second.., despite improving 17 spots on his best time.

2003 Greyhound Star Aug. 11/1 He..produced a stunning 28.56—the fastest 525 of the year and only 15 spots outside the Tralee track record.

III. A place, and related senses.

13.

a. A place, a locality, an area.beauty spot, picnic spot, hot spot, trouble spot, etc.: see the first element.

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the world > space > place > [noun]

stowc888

stokea900

steadc1000

placec1250

fletc1275

roomc1330

spotc1400

where1443

quarter1448

plat1556

stour1583

situation1610

ubity1624

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 37 To þat spot..I entred in þat erber grene.

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 13 Syþen in þat spote hit fro me sprange, Ofte haf I wayted [etc.].

1539 in Protocol Bk. Sir J. Cristisone (1928) 65 [The grain which grew in the] Spotte haucht.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ix. 439 Spot more delicious then those Gardens..of reviv'd Adonis, or renownd Alcinous.

a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1646 (1955) II. 488 The most pleasant spot of Italy.

1743 J. Bulkeley & J. Cummins Voy. to South-seas 106 Having publickly declar'd, that he will never go off this Spot.

1780 A. Young Tour Ireland i. 381 Nothing stops the eye till Mangerton and Macgilly Cuddy's Reeks point out the spot where Killarney's lake calls for a farther excursion.

1857 D. Livingstone Missionary Trav. S. Afr. iii. 54 Our next station is a lovely spot in the otherwise dry region.

1891 F. W. Farrar Darkness & Dawn II. xlvii. 140 There was one spot in Rome which was calm amid all tumults.

1917 R. Peixotto Romantic Calif. 268 This great bluff that skirts the sea is the most romantic spot upon the coast, and certainly it does make a striking impression.

1995 Incentive Sept. 193/2 Oahu's..dormant volcano, Diamond Head, is a popular, easy hiking spot with million-dollar views that cost nothing.

2007 Dive Oct. 104/1 It's not surprising that this is a favourite spot for honeymooners.

b. colloquial (originally U.S.). A place to socialize, esp. at night; a bar, club, or similar venue. Cf. nightspot n. at night n. and int. Compounds 4.

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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > nightlife > [noun] > nightclub

finish1796

café chantant1854

nightclub1871

bottle party1903

lokal1903

cabaret1912

boîte1922

supper club1927

nitery1929

hot spot1930

spot1930

clip-joint1933

nightspot1936

night box1938

Nachtlokal1939

partouze1959

1930 R. Whitfield Green Ice ii. 31 Big, nice-lined moll. Came out of Harlem to the glitter spots.

1935 Chicago Defender 5 Jan. 8/8 Righteous opening, it was, at Dickie's new swank spot (formerly the Nest Club) on Thursday nite last.

1954 G. Greene 21 Stories 205 I should be taken to plenty of Spots if I wasn't with a husband.

2015 Associated Press Newswire (Nexis) 9 Apr. A trendy Chelsea spot where celebs such as Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg mingle with partygoers.

c. South African. An illicit drinking establishment (usually in a private home in a township) where liquor is sold or consumed; a shebeen (see shebeen n. 2).

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1980 M. Tholo in C. Hermer Diary of Maria Tholo vii. 99 One man arrived..soused. Everybody jumped up and asked, ‘Where did you get wet?’ I mean especially on Sunday... So he just laughed and said, ‘I am not telling because I don't want my spot uncovered.’

1982 M. Mzamane Children of Soweto 80 Molly herself..ran a spot (which is our euphemism for a drinking joint) at her house.

1989 Eastern Province Herald (Port Elizabeth) 11 Jan. 2 Mr Q—died..after he allegedly attempted to escape while pointing out ‘spots’ in Sebokeng township.

2013 D. Makoti At Spot Prol. p. i There were basically three types of illegal shebeens, or ‘spots’ in township parlance, even though there were lots of permutations and variations to these basic types.

14.

a. A small area or definite point on a surface or in a body; a location, a position.

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the world > space > place > [noun] > of which the position alone is considered > on a surface or body

placea1382

spotc1440

seat1543

plat1642

c1440 Privity of Passion (Thornton) in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1895) I. 207 (MED) Fro þe crowne of þe heuede to þe sole of his fete þare was no hole spotte lefte one hyme.

1688 G. Parker & J. Stalker Treat. Japaning vi. 28 He may with this useful Tripolee-cloth wipe out all, or any part which he thinks unworthy to stand, and on the same spot erect a new draught.

1748 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 582/1 The petrification is seen only in that spot on the apex, upon which the water is incessantly dropping.

1771 Contempl. Man I. ii. v. 105 The Captain's Head, except one bald Spot about the Crown, was covered with his own short grey Hair.

1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. vii. 211 Delivering the products of the distillation through minute apertures, and upon particular spots.

1860 F. C. L. Wraxall Life in Sea viii. 181 The Sea-snails have their gills at very different spots.

1884 B. Bosanquet et al. tr. H. Lotze Metaphysic 498 The many stimuli which at one and the same time excite the spots p q r…of the retina.

1904 Jrnl. Philos., Psychol. & Sci. Methods 1 191 The pain-free spots of the inner surface of the cheek are sensitive to pressure.

1973 Pop. Sci. Dec. 114/1 The object is to rough up the surface of the glass in selected spots.

2009 Ireland's Eye Jan. 39/4 We practiced our accuracy by..banging it [sc. the ball] against a certain spot on a shed door.

b. Frequently with modifying adjective: a position or location in an abstract or metaphorical sense; esp. a short period or moment in time.soft spot, sore spot, weak spot, etc.: see the first element.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > place > position or situation > [noun]

stallc1000

logh11..

settlea1340

placea1375

steada1387

sitea1398

assizec1400

position?a1425

estal1480

stound1557

planting1585

location1592

positure1600

posture1605

seat1607

situs1629

ubi1630

ubiety1645

locus1648

locality1656

topography1658

whereness1674

lie1697

spot1769

locus standi1809

possie1916

ubicity1922

1769 tr. G. Dragonetti Treat. Virtues & Rewards xi. 139 That imperial invitation of french d'Alembert to the court of the Czarina must ever be a bright spot of russian history.

1859 Habits Good Society 48 Those dreams which to some [people] are the only bright spots of their lives.

1887 H. S. Cunningham Cœruleans I. xiii. 165 Mr. Ambrose touched a very tender spot in Camilla's heart.

1956 Washington Post & Times Herald 31 Oct. c4/4 The really rough spot in the day for most dieters is late afternoon.

1990 Arizona Daily Star 14 Mar. d6/4 One bright spot in the past season was bettors wagered more on simulcast races than during the preceding season.

c. Cricket.

(a) Chiefly with the. The place on the pitch where a ball bowled accurately on a good line and length lands, making it difficult for the batter to score runs off the ball without risking dismissal. Now chiefly in on the spot adv. 4a.

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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > bowling > [noun] > a ball bowled > place where ball should pitch

spot1855

1855 F. Lillywhite Guide to Cricketers (ed. 8) 29 The second day, however, Dean and Nixon found out the ‘spot’, and seemingly deposited every ball they delivered on the precise place.

1950 F. N. S. Creek Teach Yourself Cricket vi. 111 A mere mechanical ability to pitch the ball on some regular spot called a ‘good length’ is of little value.

1987 Times of India 19 June 13/2 On one of the few occasions the 31-year-old..did put the ball on the spot, Broad was dropped.

2005 Dominion Post (Wellington, N.Z.) (Nexis) 19 Dec. (Sport section) 2 It was amazing. I just concentrated on line and length and kept hitting the spot.

(b) A place on the pitch which causes balls pitched there by the bowler to bounce irregularly, unpredictably, or in a way that is awkward for the batter.

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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [noun] > surface of ground > irregular place

spot1859

footmark1923

1859 All Year Round 23 July 305/2 The wicket..had no dead spots, no lively ones; no chance for ‘shooters’, none for ‘bumpers’.

1908 W. E. W. Collins Leaves from Old Country Cricketer's Diary ix. 145 Their fast bowler found a spot on which the ball shot dead instead of bumping.

1980 Wisden Cricket Monthly Apr. 31/1 He was heartened by the presence of an awkward spot—a pretty large one, right on his length—from which the ball flew viciously from the very start.

2013 Sunday Territorian (Austral.) (Nexis) 17 Mar. 61 He found a spot short of a length that the home side struggled to handle.

15. With modifying adjective: a situation or set of circumstances of the (typically negative) type indicated. Usually in in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot. Cf. in a spot at Phrases 1a(a).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > [phrase] > in a difficult position > in straits

waterOE

straitly steadc1400

need-stead?c1450

at the worst hand1490

in suds1575

lock1598

at a bad hand1640

in a wood1659

in bad bread1743

up a stump1829

in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot1851

up shit creek1868

in the cart1889

in the soup1889

out on a limb1897

in a spot1929

up the creek1941

consommé1957

1851 New Hampsh. Statesman 7 Feb. Dr. Kittredge of New Market must be in a tight spot.

1929 C. F. Coe Hooch! v. 103 Jimmie Daust is in a bad spot, too.

1940 Washington Post 15 June 17/7 It's a tight spot for Vitt, if he is not backed to the limit by Bradley.

1954 Pittsburgh Courier 2 Oct. 18/2 Shorts is in a good spot as a dancer. So many acts nowadays are singers that dance acts are in demand.

1978 A. Price '44 Vintage xviii. 200 She'd probably only been humouring him, like any nice girl in an awkward spot might do.

2012 Legal Week 4 May 31 Definitely a man you want in your corner when you're in a tight spot.

16. Originally: (English regional (northern)) a position of employment; = situation n. 9b. Later usually more generally: an allocated place, position, or role.

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society > occupation and work > position or job > [noun]

steadc1000

noteOE

officec1300

ministry?a1475

rooma1485

placea1500

roomth1544

place1558

post1562

berth1720

situation1766

job1781

sit1853

spot1859

billet1870

engagement1884

shop1885

gig1908

lurk1916

possie1916

number1928

site1930

sits vac1945

hat1966

1859 W. Dickinson Gloss. Words & Phrases Cumberland 110 Aa gang to my spot at Martinmas.

1892 M. C. F. Morris Yorks. Folk-talk 206 Martinmas was the season for the lads and lasses to change their spots, as they call their situations.

1950 Sport 22 Sept. 18/2 Jack..continued to fill the centre-half spot in the Celtic line-up.

1953 Changing Times Mar. 41/1 Westinghouse offered him a spot as a trainee in its graduate student training course.

1967 Technol. Week 95/2 (advt.) Your spot? Perhaps operating a ground computer complex.

1993 Money Apr. 162/1 He began quietly working his Rolodex and soon found a spot as regional director of training for ITT/Sheraton.

2015 Barron's 16 Feb. 38/1 Davidson landed a spot in Merrill Lynch's vaunted training program.

17. Stock Market.

a. A commodity or asset traded immediately. Cf. on the spot adv. 3, future n. 6.

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society > trade and finance > merchandise > [noun] > goods at immediate cash rates

spot1869

1869 Commerc. Daily List (London) 4 Feb. 4/4 The market for brown Oil has still further declined, and the value of spot or month is now £32 to £32 10s for English or foreign.

1880 Commerc. & Financial Chron. 17 Jan. 72/2 Spot and futures generally 14d. to 38d. higher.

1930 Sunday Times 12 Oct. 2/4 Raw Rubber prices became easier, and spot was dealt in down to 3 11-16d.

1976 Scotsman 25 Nov. 2/8 Silver fluctuated with sterling and ended about 2p down at 262.50p for spot and 273p for three-month.

2004 Chem. Week 22 Dec. 27/1 Ethylene spot was down $70–$80/m.t.

b. Chiefly in plural. A trading unit of such a commodity or asset.

ΚΠ

1871 N.Y. Herald 9 Mar. 10/2 The arrangement at this time was that more money would be forthcoming from Mr. Fisk for the buying up of ‘spots’, as well as of all ‘futures’.

1890 Pall Mall Gaz. 3 Sept. 6/2 He was supposed to have held from 130,000 to 150,000 bales—spots and futures.

1952 N.Y. Times 3 Sept. 39/1 The price basis was set despite declines in domestic spots and futures.

2014 G. Swindle Valuation & Risk Managem. Energy Markets v. xiii. 327 What traders actually do is buy or sell spots and take offsetting positions in the balance of month or first nearby contracts.

18. Stock Market. With preceding adjective, as firm, steady, dull, etc.: a sector of the market (e.g. shares in a company) considered in relation to its performance. Frequently in to be a firm (also steady, dull, etc.) spot: to perform in a specified way.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > share > in which dealings are of specific kind

spot1883

1883 Bankers' Mag. Mar. 724 The public coming in as a seller on every ‘firm spot’, while holding aloof as a buyer on weak ones.

1911 Irish Times 11 Nov. 6/6 American Rails were firm—in fact, the only steady spot in the market.

1981 Times 23 Apr. 18/3 Another dull spot was Danish Bacon, which gave up 2p to 104p after results.

2005 Scotsman (Nexis) 18 Jan. 50 Supermarket giant Tesco was a firm spot, up 2.1 per cent, or 6.5p, to 323.25p on anticipation that it will deliver a buoyant Christmas trading update today.

19. Originally U.S. A position or slot in the schedule of a performance, show, or broadcast; (in later use) spec. (Broadcasting) a short interval in the programming for an advertisement or announcement. Also: an act, programme, advertisement, etc., occupying such a slot.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > [noun] > a performance > item in > order of > position in order

spot1902

society > communication > broadcasting > [noun] > time of broadcast or place in schedule

fixed point1778

time1924

airtime1931

spot1937

adjacency1947

prime time1947

airdate1950

space1956

slotting1959

airspace1960

time slot1962

slot1964

strand1979

1902 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 15 Apr. 5/1 Each one of the eight acts on the Bastable bill this week is good in its class and there are several particularly bright vaudeville spots on it.

1904 Boston Post 25 Oct. 5/3 Prevost and Prevost had a funny acrobatic act, but a rather bad spot on the bill in which to exhibit it.

1937 Amer. Speech 12 101 Spot or spot announcement refers to a brief announcement, usually commercial, spotted at various times.

1958 Manch. Guardian 29 Sept. 4/4 Spots, unlike full-length programmes, would reach people not already prejudiced in favour of the candidate.

1980 Times 5 Feb. 19/4 At present rates £44,300 would buy 49 30-second spots on each [radio] station during day-time shows.

2002 Billboard 30 Mar. 14/2 We ended up getting an opening spot on the main stage.

2012 New Yorker 13 Feb. 31/2 The thirty-second spots that quadrennially flood TV screens in primary and ‘battleground’ states..are bad enough.

20. A position or rank in a list or hierarchy; = slot n.² 6. Usually with modifying word or phase indicating the level occupied.

ΚΠ

1911 Boston Post 5 June 11/4 In making nominations for the top spot in the National league, the nominator has the option of crossing his fingers from day to day.

1964 Washington Post 2 Mar. a19 The major casualty is Georgetown Prep, which drops two spots to 18th after losing to St. Albans.

1976 Southern Evening Echo (Southampton) 17 Nov. 21/3 The 125cc solo class provides a championship medal for yet another Italian, Pietro Bianchi, with Spain's Angel Nieto in second spot.

2009 M. Arrow Friday on our Minds iv. 80 Their records held the number 1 spot for an unprecedented 17 weeks.

21. A lamp casting a narrow and intense beam; a spotlight. Also: the light cast by such a lamp.follow-spot: see the first element.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > a theatre > theatrical equipment or accessories > [noun] > stage lights

footlight1776

limelight1826

float1829

spotlight1875

ground-row1881

lime1892

baby spot1910

amber1913

spot1920

strip light1920

perch1933

follow spot1937

Mickey Mouse1937

pin spot1947

the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > artificial light defined by light-source > electric light > [noun] > spotlight > for a stage

spotlight1875

spot1920

pin spot1947

1920 P. G. Wodehouse Jill the Reckless xvi. 285 Another outbreak of debate on the subject of blues, ambers, and the management of the ‘spot’.

1960 J. Symons Progress of Crime xl. 218 We cut off our engines after putting the spots on first to make sure this was the right show.

1990 T. C. Boyle East is East ii. 302 A single spot trained on her from overhead while a second light, more stagey and diffuse, played off her gypsy features.

2003 S. Brown Free Gift Inside! viii. 169 It [sc. Las Vegas] is a neon saturnalia, Dante's inferno with strip lights and spots.

22. Association Football, Hockey, etc. With the. The spot on a pitch from which penalty shots or kicks are taken; = penalty spot n. at penalty n. Compounds 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > association football > [noun] > penalty spot

spot1923

1923 Brandon (Manitoba) Daily Sun 9 Feb. 2/4 The English league campaign is just half over, and yet close upon 200 shots from ‘the spot’ have been given.

1971 Times of India 8 May 12 There was not a goal scored in the seventy minutes of this quarter-final of the National Hockey Championship..and of all the people Balbir and Harbinder failed from the ‘spot’.

1990 Sunday Express 21 Oct. 39/8 Referee Ian Hendrick had no alternative but to point to the spot when Neil Ruddock crudely brought down Cyrille Regis.

2015 Associated Press Newswire (Nexis) 6 July She [sc. Carli Lloyd] put the U.S. ahead in the third minute off a grass-hugging corner kick..using the side of her left foot just in front of the spot to redirect the ball inside the far post.

IV. A piece or bit of something, and related senses.

23.

a. Chiefly with of. A small piece, amount, or quantity of something; a discrete portion, a drop, a bit. Also figurative with abstract nouns, as spot of bother, spot of trouble, etc.Now relatively uncommon in North American use.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > a small quantity or amount

speckc725

littleOE

somethingc1200

lutewihtc1230

little whatc1384

ouncec1387

lap1393

smalla1400

modicumc1400

nekedc1400

spota1413

tinec1420

nieveful?a1425

handfulc1443

mouthful?c1450

smatchc1456

weec1480

quern1503

halfpennyworth1533

groatsworth1562

dram1566

shellful1578

trickle1580

snatch1592

sprinkling1594

fleck1598

snip1598

pittance1600

lick1603

fingerful1604

modicum1606

thimbleful1607

flash1614

dasha1616

pipa1616

pickle1629

drachm1635

cue1654

smack1693

starn1720

bit1753

kenning1787

minikin1787

tate1805

starnie1808

sprat1815

harl1821

skerrick1825

smallums1828

huckleberry1832

scrimp1840

thimble1841

smite1843

nattering1859

sensation1859

spurt1859

pauchlea1870

mention1891

sketch1894

sputterings1894

scrappet1901

titch1937

tad1940

skosh1959

smattering1973

the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a separate part > a piece or bit > small piece

fingereOE

snedec1000

seed?a1200

morselc1300

bittlock?a1400

farthingc1405

spota1413

lipetc1430

offe?1440

drewc1450

remnantc1450

parcel1483

crap1520

flakec1525

patch1528

spark1548

a piece1559

sparklec1570

inch1573

nibbling?1577

scantling1585

scrat1593

mincing1598

scantle1598

halfpenny1600

quantity1600

nip1606

kantch1608

bit1609

catch1613

scripa1617

snap1616

sippeta1625

crumblet1634

scute1635

scantleta1642

snattock1654

cantlet1700

tab1729

pallion1738

smallness1818

knobble1823

wisp1836

a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) v. l. 1815 Doun from þens faste he gan auyse This litel spot of erþe þat with þe se Enbraced is.

c1425 (c1400) Laud Troy-bk. l. 17137 For he lefft not of hir a spot That he ne hit hewe as flesch to pot.

c1440 S. Scrope tr. C. de Pisan Epist. of Othea (St. John's Cambr.) (1970) 108 (MED) Þe spirite..suffrith no maner of litil spotte of chaf to abide in the habitacion of þe herte.

1601 R. Hakluyt tr. A. Galvano Discov. World 18 The Island of S.Helena, being a small spot of land standing in the maine Ocean.

1662 H. Hibbert Body Divinity I. 284 The whole course of life is but..a little spot of time between two eternities.

1696 N. Tate & N. Brady New Version Psalms of David ciii. 208 As high as Heav'n its Arch extends, Above this little Spot of Clay.

1789 tr. Palladas in Epigrams from Greek 73 How measure you earth's boundaries, say, Yourself so small a spot of clay?

1800 W. Wordsworth Ruth in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads II. 107 As quietly as spots of sky Among the evening clouds.

1850 G. Cupples Green Hand vii. 83/2 'Twas no use looking as yet for a spot of room.

1885 D. C. Murray Rainbow Gold I. i. ii. 42 A little spot of rum, William, with a squeeze of lemon in it.

1924 D. B. W. Lewis At Sign of Blue Moon 272 What about a spot of lunch?

1942 Rotarian Feb. 8/1 A spot of tea or coffee and some sweets go a long way with a tired fighting man.

1959 H. Hamilton Answer in Negative iv. 52 The police will be coming..to deal with a spot of trouble.

1979 D. Smith Cookery Course II. 445 Taste and season with salt and freshly-milled black pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, plus a spot more lemon juice.

2011 Daily Tel. 5 Sept. 22/4 A spot of bother with some rebels in Benghazi, a faint suggestion that his regime might be in trouble.

b. colloquial (Australian, New Zealand, South African, and British). A serving of liquor or other alcoholic drink.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > [noun] > a drink of > small drink

snack1685

smack1693

drop1699

tiff1727

toothfula1774

caulker1808

caulk1834

nobbler1842

spot1917

1917 in J. Phillips et al. Great Adventure (1988) 180 The rumour [of whiskey available] had..a foundation of fact so we gave them a ‘spot’ each.

1936 P. G. Wodehouse Laughing Gas ix. 90 May I offer you a spot?.. I can recommend the Scotch.

1995 B. Anderson House Guest 44 George had always asked the neighbours in for a ‘spot’ at Christmas.

2001 C. Hope Heaven Forbid xix. 180 They sat at the bar, on the oak stools, and poured a couple of spots, and they clinked glasses.

24. Chiefly with of. A relatively small piece of ground within a larger area; a plot of land. Also in extended use. [Compare note in etymology section on place-name evidence.]

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [noun] > that which is small > a small space or extent

spana1400

spota1450

specka1552

pocket handkerchief1866

a1450 York Plays (1885) 317 A spotte of erthe for to by, wayte nowe I will, To berie in pilgrimes.

1578 in P. J. Anderson Charters & Writs Royal Burgh Aberdeen (1890) 339 Ordanis the spott of brunt land on the south syd of the mos of the Gardyne to ly ley in commontie.

1677 W. Hubbard Narr. Troubles with Indians New-Eng. ii. 1 Some Spots and Skirts of more desireable Land upon the Banks of some Rivers.

1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. 108 Lab'ring well his little Spot of Ground.

1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. ii. vii. 129 Whoever could make..two Blades of Grass to grow upon a spot of Ground [etc.].

1779 T. Forrest Voy. New Guinea 122 Off the rock of Sipsipa, are three spots of breakers,..one without another.

1845 J. Coulter Adventures Pacific v. 42 Nearly at the summit..there is a spot of excellent land, of four or five acres in extent.

1891 M. E. Wilkins Humble Romance 53 The products of his garden spot were his staple articles of food.

1935 Washington Post 16 Jan. 9/7 The spot of ground..where Gen. Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded..is to be one of the most beautiful places in the battlefield area.

1988 P. Wayburn Adventuring in Alaska (rev. ed.) ii. 169 The sourdoughs simply took over, threw up their shacks, and rigged tents wherever they could find a spot of vacant ground.

2009 Callaloo 32 1137 Each of them sat looking down as if rooted to that spot of earth.

B. adv.

Stock Market. As traded immediately; at immediate cash rates. Cf. sense A. 17, on the spot adv. 3.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > payment > [adverb] > immediate or cash

down?a1425

on the nail1569

spot1855

1855 Commerc. Daily List (London) 27 Mar. Tallow.—A good demand for the Continent, and a firm market, spot new 48s, old 46s 3d; April 48s to 47s 9d.

1884 York Herald 23 Aug. 7/2 Linseed oil rather firmer; spot and up to the end of the year 18s 7½d.

1900 Daily News 13 June 2/3 Silver remained nominally at 27⁵/ ₈d. per ounce spot, and 27 9-16d. forward.

1979 ‘D. Meiring’ Foreign Body xviii. 193 In fact we're already putting about half that through..but buying our crude spot.

2004 E. Clark & D. K. Ghosh Arbitrage, Hedging & Speculation 75 The number of foreign currency units to be bought spot and invested at the foreign riskless rate.

Phrases

P1. Phrases with prepositions.

(a) colloquial (originally U.S.). in a spot and variants: in a difficult or tricky situation. Cf. earlier in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot at sense A. 15.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > [phrase] > in a difficult position > in straits

waterOE

straitly steadc1400

need-stead?c1450

at the worst hand1490

in suds1575

lock1598

at a bad hand1640

in a wood1659

in bad bread1743

up a stump1829

in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot1851

up shit creek1868

in the cart1889

in the soup1889

out on a limb1897

in a spot1929

up the creek1941

consommé1957

1929 Bookman Feb. 622/1 So the heavy yanks up the rope ladder, and he's got the girl in a spot.

1963 Washington Post 26 Oct. c1/4 We are opposed to young people smoking, but frankly we feel we are in quite a spot.

1963 ‘F. W. Dixon’ Hunting for Hidden Gold (rev. ed.) xvi. 143 Now he's really got us in a spot.

2001 D. Bischoff Farscape: Ship of Ghosts (2002) iii. 44 It would seem that Moya has got herself in a bit of a spot.

(b) U.S. colloquial. in spots: in some ways, to some extent. Also: intermittently, in snatches; occasionally.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adverb] > sometimes or occasionally

whiloma900

whilea1000

stoundmealc1000

stundumOE

otherwhileOE

umquhile1154

with and withc1175

by stoundsa1225

otherwhilesc1225

umbestound?c1225

umbewhilec1230

then and thenc1275

sometime…sometime1297

umstounda1300

by while13..

over while13..

sometime1340

umbe throwea1350

at timesa1382

now and again (also anon, eft, now)a1393

umbwhile1393

eftsoona1398

sometimea1400

by sithesc1400

umbestoundsc1400

from time to (formerly unto) time1423

now and (also or) then1445

ever now and nowa1470

when and whenc1470

occasionallya1475

in timesa1500

whiles?a1500

whilomsa1500

sometimes1526

somewhiles1528

at whiles1540

ever now and then1542

a-whiles1546

somewhiles…, somewhiles1547

at sometimes1548

now and thenc1550

ever and anon1558

by occasions1562

on (also upon) occasion1562

as soon…as soon1581

every now and then (also again)1642

by a time1721

once and a while1765

ever and again1788

periodically1825

in spots1851

1851 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin in National Era 25 Sept. 1/4 Mammy has a kind of obstinacy about her, in spots, that everybody don't see as I do.

1859 J. R. Bartlett Dict. Americanisms (ed. 2) 437 A boatman on the Mississippi, being asked how he managed to secure sleeping time, answered, ‘I sleep in spots’; that is, at intervals, by snatches.

1872 M. S. De Vere Americanisms 636 The phrase ‘He is clever in spots’, gives a man credit for fragmentary ability.

1940 R. Chandler Farewell, my Lovely xvii. 108 A big strong guy... Soft-hearted in spots too.

1986 G. Paulsen Sentries vii. 36 David dozed in spots, caught little bits of sleep here and there and let Deleon's talk wash over him.

2009 N.Y. Times 20 Dec. (Sports section) 1/3 The Washington Wizards are experimenting without them [sc. morning shoot-arounds], though only in spots.

b. colloquial. off the spot.

†(a) Prone to error, out of form; inaccurate, imperfect. Cf. on the spot adv. 4b. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1866 Bell's Life in London 4 Aug. 3/5 Mr Ash..is of use when hitting is wanted, and when Arkwright is off the spot and no one else in particular on it.

1886 Athenæum 27 Mar. 420/3 Mr. Lang's new book could have been written by nobody but Mr. Lang... It is his in its tendency to be ‘off the spot’ and to make mistakes.

1905 Academy 21 Oct. 1091/2 Mr. Greenwood made many corrections..and I never met any one who could more invariably place his finger, or rather his blue pencil, on anything that was off the spot.

1916 Burlington Mag. Apr. 37/2 There might be some positive good [in the theatre]..that might even justify his being a bit off the spot next day.

(b) Originally U.S. No longer in a difficult or pressurized situation; out of trouble. Frequently in to get off the spot. Cf. on the spot adv. 6b.

ΚΠ

1931 Idaho Evening Times 11 Dec. 8/1 Boys! Suppose you were making love to a girl—and a man bigger than Carnera came up and said you had to keep your promise to marry his sister—what would you do?.. See Hoot Gibson, the ‘Hard Hombre’ get off the spot.

1966 D. R. McCoy Landon of Kansas vii. 158 Landon was not yet off the spot. By the end of the month newspapers were carrying stories about a check for $10,046.67 from Ronald Finney made out to Mrs. Landon.

2007 Daily News (N.Y.) (Nexis) 25 Feb. 33 She pulled the race card out of her bag of dirty tricks... It was a moment of pander and panic, designed to get her off the spot.

(a) Stock Market. on spot: as traded immediately; at immediate cash rates; = on the spot adv. 3. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1861 Commerc. Daily List (London) 19 Sept. 4/4 Candle on spot and early delivery are 47s 6d to 48s; for late periods 48s to 48s 3d per cwt.

1890 Pharmaceut. Rec. 3 Mar. 95/1 Borax is growing quite scarce on spot, and Camphor is very firm.

1922 Drug & Chem. Markets 15 Feb. 400/1 The position of quicksilver on spot is somewhat firmer this week.

2000 B. Seyoum Export-import Theory, Pract. & Procedures x. 188 It [sc. the exporter] can wait until December and then sell francs on spot.

(b) on the spot, man on the spot, to put on the spot: see on the spot adv.

d. upon the spot.

(a) Then and there, straight away, at once; = on the spot adv. 1.Often the sense ‘at that very location’ is also present to some degree, and so this use may overlap with the sense in Phrases 1d(b).

ΚΠ

1651 J. Cleveland Poems (Wing C4684) 3 Then have at all, the pass is got, For coming off, oh name it not: Who would not die upon the spot.

1686 tr. J. Chardin Trav. Persia 229 Had I drank as much as my neighbours, I had dy'd upon the spot.

1747 B. Kennicott Two Diss. ii. 168 Cain, had he only been with his Brother, would certainly have slain him upon the spot.

1783 W. Marsden Hist. Sumatra 193 This sum shall, when the marriage takes place, be paid upon the spot.

1819 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 18 Dec. 449 The next best thing to being able to answer upon the spot, is, to be able to answer the next day.

1880 Tinsley's Mag. Nov. 471/1 All the prisoners taken are to be shot upon the spot.

1922 L. V. Rule Pioneering in Masonry xv. 210 Working himself in a perfect frenzy over the thought of losing his money, he died upon the spot.

1969 Church Hist. 38 352 He taught that ministers should aim at and expect the regeneration of sinners upon the spot, before they left the church.

2011 Evening Gaz. (Middlesbrough) (Nexis) 13 Sept. 17 This was a poor, panicked decision made upon the spot.

(b) At the very place or locality in question; at the scene of the event; = on the spot adv. 2.

ΚΠ

1655 F. G. tr. ‘G. de Scudéry’ Artamenes V. ix. ii. 121 An object both terrible and glorious, both was to be seen in the wood, for eight or ten men might be seen dead upon the spot.

1699 R. Bentley Diss. Epist. Phalaris (new ed.) 209 The Prizes..for those that perform'd best, were ready upon the spot, and made part of the Procession.

1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 361 The two Merchants..who liv'd just upon the Spot, and who..were very rich.

1741 R. Challoner Mem. Missionary Priests I. Pref. sig. A2^v Grave contemporary Writers, informed by such as were upon the Spot, or themselves Eye-witnesses, of what they write.

1779 T. Paine in Pennsylvania Packet 14 Sept. 2/3 He is now upon the spot and can any day demand an hearing of Congress.

1834 A. Greaves Æsop, Junior, in Amer. vii. 9 Did you so? cried the Hog, who was still upon the spot.

1883 W. E. Norris No New Thing II. xv. 50 She..drove over to Broom Leas in state,..feeling that at least it would be a satisfaction to her to be upon the spot.

?1906 E. S. Ellis & C. F. Horne Story of Greatest Nations (new ed.) IV. lxvi. 664 He had been upon the spot and knew the magnitude of the disaster that had befallen the oppressor.

1952 Illustr. London News 8 Nov. 754/3 Skill and training..have to be imported because they are not to be found upon the spot.

2015 Western Morning News (Nexis) 23 May (Property section) The stone with which it [sc. the hotel] was built came from the hill on which it stood and was carved and formed upon the spot.

e. without spot.

(a) Morally unstained, without moral defects; free from sin; pure.Frequently paired with wrinkle, blemish, or blame, with allusion to biblical passages such as Ephesians 5:27 (see e.g. quot. c1390).

ΚΠ

c1390 W. Hilton Expos. Qui habitat & Bonum Est (1954) 85 Holy chirche is whit in grace, with-outen spot or wrinkel.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 609 Goodlihiede and innocence Withouten spot of eny blame.

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) v. l. 2151 (MED) Þer herd he first of Penolope, His trewe wyf, with-oute spot or blame.

a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) xiv. §2. 50 He that ingase withouten spot and wirkis rightwisnes.

1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Svpper of the Lorde f. cxxvi^v Without spot of sinne.

1580 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1880) 1st Ser. III. 281 His guidsire..and himself..hes faithfullie servit his Hienes..without spot or reproche.

1611 Bible (King James) 1 Tim. vi. 14 Keepe this commandement without spot .

1633 W. Prynne Histrio-mastix ii. v. 978 Be diligent that yee may be found of God in peace, without spot and blamelesse.

1782 W. Cowper Expostulation in Poems 116 Thy services once holy without spot, Mere shadows now.

1821 P. B. Shelley Adonais xlv. 22 Sublimely mild, a Spirit without spot.

1877 Spirit of Times 24 Nov. 439/2 A character for integrity and honor without spot or blemish.

1907 Brotherhood Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen's Mag. May 695/1 He is also a man of good moral character, his past record and reputation generally being without spot or blemish.

1989 P. Fussell Wartime xii. 166 Anyone on the Allied side could easily be conceived of as without spot.

2001 Times 10 May 17/2 The Left is hardly without spot itself.

(b) Physically unblemished, not stained; flawless, perfect.

ΚΠ

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 24 (MED) O moul, þou marrez a myry iuele, My priuy perle wythouten spotte.

1517 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure (1928) xxxviii. 197 Full lyke the golde that is moost pure and fyne Withouten spotte of blacke encombremente.

?1562 W. Ward tr. R. Roussat Most Excellent Bk. Doctour & Astrologien Arcandam sig. P.vi.^v When they [sc. the eyes] shyne much and be without spotte, it is a token of goodnes.

1656 T. Jenner Path of Life 43 Their apparell is with pure linnen without spot.

1761 J. Richie Crit. Mod. Notion Sacrifices ii. 136 Among the Jews, all lambs that were without spot and blemish, or bodily imperfection, were precious lambs, or lambs of value and worth.

1869 H. B. Stowe Oldtown Folks v. 55 Her Sunday bonnet was without spot, her Sunday gown without wrinkle.

1919 S. Graham Private in Guards iii. 91 The rifle had to be luminous, the bayonet unimpeachable, the trousers creased correctly, the tunic without spot.

1993 S. Marshall Nest of Magpies xix. 160 Her skin, wrinkled though it was, had the texture of youth still insofar as it was without spot or blemish and innocent of make-up.

P2. Other phrases.

a. spot of work: a task, a job of work, esp. one that is large or difficult; a product of this. Frequently with (ironic) modifying word, as fine, pretty, etc. Cf. piece of work n. at piece n. Phrases 4. Now rare (somewhat dated in later use).

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > duties > [noun] > piece of work or task

workOE

notec1400

turnc1480

piece of work1533

job1557

employment1579

task1597

spot of work1689

day job1798

number1928

1689 Appeal to Men New-Eng. 11 Whether it would not be a fine spot of work..to restore them to their former places?

1697 W. Nicholls Conf. with Theist: Pt. II 147 If Naylor had been to write the Book of Genesis, he would have made an otherguise spot of work of it than Moses has.

1714 S. Centlivre Wonder iii. 30 Zounds she here! I have made a fine spot of Work on't.

1777 C. Dibdin Quaker i. ii. 5 A very pretty spot of work this!

1822 W. Scott Fortunes of Nigel III. iii. 87 Here is a bonny spot of work, and me alone, and on foot too!

1889 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Feb. 247/2 If Oates had but known, he would have cut out a fine spot of work for me.

1945 F. Sargeson in Speaking for Ourselves 115 Hello Jack, I said, doing a spot of work?.. Yes Tom, he said, I'm doing a job.

1997 Guardian 11 June (G2 section) 3/3 Wherever a spot of work was to be done, a mine to be mined, a hole to be dug, [etc.].

b. With preceding numeral, as two-spot, five-spot, ten-spot, etc.

(a) colloquial (chiefly U.S.). A playing card having the specified number of pips.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > others

twoa1500

cater1519

single ten1595

ten1595

eight1598

four1599

nine1599

six1599

seven1656

deuce1674

five1674

trey1680

spot1830

four-spot1878

two-spot1885

five-spot1913

ten-spot ladybird-

1830 Constellation (N.Y.) 23 Oct. The two spot plays the deuce with you; and if you trust the three, you are likely to be be-tray-ed.

1873 J. H. Beadle Undeveloped West iv. 92 The ace is your winning card. The eight and ten spot win for me.

1913 C. E. Mulford Coming of Cassidy vii. 118 As the Queen slid off a five-spot showed.

1976 Washington Post 19 Apr. b8/3 South won the opening trump lead with his ten-spot.

2009 N. R. Werthamer Risk & Reward i. 5 A three-spot has the value three.

(b) U.S. slang. A note worth the specified number of dollars. ace-spot n. a one-dollar bill; cf. ace n.¹ 5. V-spot n. a five-dollar bill; cf. V n. 4b.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > paper money > foreign banknotes > [noun] > U.S. > five-dollar bill

V-note1837

V-spot1838

finnip1839

fiver1843

five-spot1896

fin1925

pound1928

1838 Boston Morning Post 22 May His Honor..‘lent’ him the use of the Jail..till he can get some friend to fork over a ‘V.’ and ‘Two Spot’, together with the cost of prison-grub, and turnkey's fees.

1848 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers 1st Ser. viii. 103 I vow my holl sheer o' the spiles wouldn't come nigh a V spot.

1896 Sun (N.Y.) 16 Feb. iii. 2/7 But one single dollar remained of that five spot.

1921 P. Casey & T. Casey Gay-cat ix. 92 He fumbled..in his trousers pocket. ‘It's not much—only an ace spot.’.. It was a dollar bill.

1971 B. Malamud Tenants 153 Hi, sugar, I took a ten-spot out of your loose change.

2006 Time Out N.Y. 17 Aug. 28/2 A side of sweet plantains for a ten-spot.

(c) slang (originally and chiefly U.S. Criminals' slang). A term of imprisonment of the specified number of years. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > punishment > imprisonment > [noun] > sentence or term of

time1790

lagging1819

stretch1821

model1845

birdlime1857

penal1864

prison sentence1867

rap1870

bit1871

spot1895

hard time1896

sleep1911

jolt1912

bird1924

fall1926

beef1928

trick1933

porridge1950

custodial sentence1951

1895 N.-Y. Times 4 Aug. 19/7 Say billy i think i am ditched this time. i think i am good for a five spot.

1907 J. London Road 84 He had never been in the particular penitentiary to which we were going, but he had done ‘one-’, ‘two-’, and ‘five-spots’ in various other penitentiaries (a ‘spot’ is a year).

1966 ‘M. Brewer’ Man against Fear x. 105 He was serving a three spot for conning. When he was in the stir he got into a row with one of the warders.

c. colloquial (originally U.S., now chiefly British). to knock (the) spots off and variants: to beat thoroughly; to outdo easily.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > outdoing or surpassing > outdo or surpass [verb (transitive)] > surpass or beat

whip1571

overmaster1627

to give (one) fifteen and a bisque1664

to beat (all) to nothing1768

beatc1800

bang1808

to beat (also knock) all to sticks1820

floga1841

to beat (a person, a thing) into fits1841

to beat a person at his (also her, etc.) own game1849

to knock (the) spots off1850

lick1890

biff1895

to give a stone and a beating to1906

to knock into a cocked hat1965

the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > overcome or defeat > soundly

threshc1384

to knock the socks offa1529

thump1597

thrash1609

thwacka1616

capot1649

to beat to snuff1819

to knock into a cocked hat1830

to —— (the) hell out of1833

sledgehammer1834

rout1835

whop1836

skin1838

whip-saw1842

to knock (the) spots off1850

to make mincemeat of1853

to mop (up) the floor with1875

to beat pointless1877

to lick into fits1879

to take apart1880

to knock out1883

wax1884

contund1885

to give (a person) fits1885

to wipe the floor with1887

flatten1892

to knock (someone) for six1902

slaughter1903

slather1910

to hit for six1937

hammer1948

whomp1952

bulldozer1954

zilch1957

shred1966

tank1973

slam-dunk1975

beast1977

1850 Star of North (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 26 Dec. He says it will knock the spots off of any thing ever heard tell of.

1887 F. Francis Saddle & Mocassin 152 She can knock the spots out of these boys at that game.

1905 Omaha Illustr. Bee 23 Apr. 8/4 One of them taken internally will knock the spots from any case of malaria in the state.

1990 Élan 11 May 13/1 Paris now has about 150 café theatres. In sheer numbers this knocks spots off London's fringe theatre and New York's off-off-off Broadway.

2004 Opera News Apr. 14/1 McNair's..recording of Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 knocks the spots off most of the competition.

d. colloquial (originally U.S.). to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot: (esp. of food or drink) to be exactly what is required, to satisfy perfectly.to hit the spot is now the most common form.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > advantage > efficacy > be efficacious [verb (intransitive)]

workOE

availa1400

makea1400

prevaila1400

to hit the nail upon (or on) the headc1450

effect1592

serve1593

to tickle it1601

take1611

executea1627

to have force (to do)1713

answer1721

to take place1789

to do the trick1819

to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot1836

produce1881

to press (also push) the button1890

to come through1906

to turn the trick1933

to make a (also the) point1991

the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be satisfactory or what is required

to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot1836

the mind > emotion > pleasure > contentment or satisfaction > be contented or satisfied [verb (intransitive)] > give contentment or satisfaction

to make or do asseth1340

satisfya1513

syth1513

satiate1645

to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot1836

1836 N.-Y. Evangelist 27 Feb. 34/2 Even if we pass this resolution, it will not heal the wound. It does not touch the spot.

1868 Putnam's Mag. June 670/1 ‘I hope that last corjul set you up?’ ‘Yes, Mr. Plunkitt, it went right to the spot.’

1908 ‘O. Henry’ Voice of City 235 Oh, pass the bottle... That hits the spot... My first drink in three months.

1923 W. Nutting Massachusetts Beautiful 241 Did ever a dish of apple dowdy go to the spot like that?

1976 ‘E. McBain’ Guns (1977) vii. 194 Colley would love a drink... A gin and tonic would hit the spot.

2013 Guardian 2 Nov. (Weekend Suppl.) 67/3 An easy-drinking South African blend of cinsault, Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, should hit the spot.

e. to change one's spots: see change v. Phrases 1g.

f. to see spots: to see small patches of light, darkness, or colour in one's field of vision. Cf. sense A. 10.

ΚΠ

1916 Washington Post 30 Apr. ms2/5 He had been ‘seeing spots’, and having other trouble with his eyes.

1976 Family Health July 14/3 (heading) Seeing spots... When I close my eyes in bed at night, I see clouds of different colors.

1999 Weekly World News 16 Nov. 46/2 Don't worry about seeing spots—almost everyone does sooner or later, says a top eye specialist.

2004 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 2 Sept. b3 Malbrough is still seeing spots after suffering a serious scratch to his left eye last week against Edmonton.

Compounds

C1. attributive.

a. Designating an item of clothing, piece of fabric, etc., decorated with spots; spotted.

ΚΠ

1791 World 7 June A corbeau and purple spot silk dress coat.

1886 W. Smith Morley vi. 118 The poorest of the female villagers were generally dressed in a bedgown of blue spot print.

1987 Sun Herald (Sydney) (Nexis) 11 Oct. 148 A young thing in short spot dress and flying saucer hat.

2013 S. O'Connor Perfect Party Dresses 79 Spot fabric lines the piped coordinating jacket.

†b. With the sense ‘of or relating to the weaving of spotted textiles’, as spot heddle, spot leaf, spot thread, spot treadle, etc. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1806 J. Austin in Trans. Soc. Arts 24 94 They [sc. looms] may be mounted with a harness, or spot heddles, to weave any pattern, twilled, striped, &c.

1809 A. Rees Cycl. (1819) XII. at Draught and Cording of Looms The spot threads between them [are represented] by marks in the intervals.

1809 A. Rees Cycl. (1819) XII. at Draught and Cording of Looms The spot-treddles, on the left-hand, work the row contained in the first six spot-leaves.

c. Astronomy. In sense A. 1c, esp. with reference to sunspots, as spot cycle, spot group, spot position, etc. See also spot map n. (a) at Compounds 5.

ΚΠ

1860 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 4th Ser. 20 272 I have failed in finding out some configuration of the planets to account for the spot-cycle of 11.1 years.

1877 G. F. Chambers Handbk. Descr. Astron. (ed. 3) i. i. 30 At epochs of minimum spot-display.

1885 A. M. Clerke Pop. Hist. Astron. 200 The absolute depth of spot-cavities..was determined by Father Secchi.

1903 A. M. Clerke Probl. Astrophysics 92 It is commonly taken for granted that the widened lines constitute the spot-spectra.

1926 H. C. Macpherson Mod. Astron. iii. 45 A relation between high-rotation speeds and spot-development.

1968 Jrnl. Brit. Astron. Assoc. 78 479 The associated spot group..was inconspicuous.

2013 Monthly Notices Royal Astron. Soc. 15 Mar. 2/1 There is no evidence for any strong latitudinal dependence of spot position from Doppler images.

d. Stock Market. With the sense ‘of or relating to commodities or assets traded immediately; of, for, or relating to transactions with immediate settlement’, as spot market, spot parcel, spot price, spot rate, spot sale, etc.; cf. sense A. 17.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > payment > [adjective] > for immediate cash payment

spot1861

1861 Manch. Guardian 20 Sept. 2/2 Nitrate of soda.—Spot price. 13s. to 14s. 6d.

1881 Standard 14 Sept. 4/7 The ‘spot’ transactions..form the smallest proportion of the operations of the market.

1887 Daily News 16 July 6/8 Spot parcels continue in good demand, and prices steady.

1939 Sun (Baltimore) 12 Dec. 17/6 As the price of tin for future delivery advanced..local cash or spot market prices declined slightly.

1956 Ann. Reg. 1955 436 Dealings in lire were restricted to the spot market. The Bank of England began the publication of official spot T.T. rates for lire.

1982 Daily Tel. 3 Aug. 13/2 Saudi oil is being traded on the spot market at up to $3 a barrel discount.

2000 Business Day (S. Afr.) 26 Jan. 25/3 New York spot gold closed at $286,05 from Monday's $287,75.

2008 Amer. Jrnl. Agric. Econ. 90 947/1 Spot sales tend to occur at lower mine-mouth prices than coal sold under either short- or long-term contracts.

e. Journalism (originally U.S.). Designating a news report or account made at the scene of an action or event; of or relating to such reports; on-the-spot. Esp. in spot news, spot report.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > journalism > journal > matter of or for journals > [noun] > item > news item > others

ship news1712

splash1810

local1854

spot news1893

1893 Daily Jrnl. (Logansport, Indiana) 9 Nov. That statement was what newspaper men call ‘spot news’ to your correspondent.

1937 Amarillo (Texas) Sunday News-Globe 7 Feb. 5/5 The spot newscast, news broadcast from the source of the happening.

1966 Illustr. Weekly India 24 July 57/1 He also jogged me down the steps, when I was trying to hold the microphone near the Beatles, to get a ‘spot’ interview as they came down.

1976 National Observer (U.S.) 15 May 2/3 Other Pulitzer winners were: Sydney Schanberg of the New York Times, international reporting;..and the staff of the Chicago Tribune, spot-news reporting.

1994 Atlanta Jrnl. Constit. (Nexis) 30 Dec. p21 WXIA staffers..provide live coverage from Underground Atlanta, and spot reports from New Year's parties around Atlanta.

2012 G. H. Stempel in R. Isard & J. Perkins Covering Disaster ii. 22 Nine-tenths of NBC's coverage was on the scene, including the three categories of spot reporter, spot scene, and spot interviews.

f. With the sense ‘made, carried out, etc., then and there’, as spot decision, spot fine, etc., and also with the sense ‘conducted without warning, esp. on a representative sample’. Cf. on the spot adv. 1.See also spot inspection n., spot test n. (b) at Compounds 5, and spot check n.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > [noun] > made on the spot

spot decision1915

society > authority > punishment > fine > [noun] > to be paid immediately

spot fine1976

1915 6th Ann. Rep. Board Supervising Engineers Chicago Traction iii. x. 438 The necessity of an average rather than a ‘spot’ count of single carloads as a proper basis for service.

1921 Z. Cope Early Diagnosis Acute Abdomen i. 3 Spot-diagnosis is impressive but unsafe.

1953 Times 29 July 6/6 He said that the ‘spot scrutiny’ of vehicles..was one of the best ways of identifying those which should not be on the roads.

1959 Economist 21 Mar. 1047/1 He may now be obliged to make spot decisions with inadequate notice in highly controversial circumstances.

1976 Wymondham & Attleborough Express 17 Dec. 2/1 Prosecution is a waste of time of already crowded courts, so what about spot fines for these moronic motor maniacs.

1979 H. S. Kent In on Act xxii. 247 I would often be glad of a ‘spot opinion’ on one of my new problems.

2002 Barron's 19 Aug. 35/1 If the software passes muster, the IRS will use it as part of..an annual spot-audit of 50,000 random taxpayers.

C2. attributive and objective, with the sense ‘that covers or treats pimples’, as spot concealer, spot cream, spot stick, etc.; cf. sense A. 1a.

ΚΠ

1948 Cosmopolitan Feb. 27/2 A veritable alchemist's warehouse of such materials: soaps, unguents, eyewashes, paints, rouges, lipsticks, mascaras, eye shadows, spot concealers, pencils, [etc.].

1979 Irish Times 3 Aug. 10/3 Spirits of Camphor, an ingredient of most spot creams, is the cheapest and best remedy.

1988 T. Goodman & S. Young Smart Face 106 Disguise a blemish by dabbing on a medicated coverup (such as Clearasil Tinted Cream..or Stickor Shiseido Pureness Spot Cream).

1997 Daily Mail 27 Mar. 44/4 Conceal spots not with a traditional opaque spot-stick but with the latest generation of light-reflecting concealers.

1999 in D. Bolger Ladies' Night at Finbar's (2000) 18 Looking through his wife's friend's private things..her spot concealer, her Super-Plus tampons, her pills.

2007 Daily Mirror (Nexis) 17 Apr. 36 If you suffer from acne then you've probably tried every spot treatment going.

2014 Cleo (Malaysia) Mar. 3 (advt.) Blanc Expert..intensive specialist spot eraser.

C3. Parasynthetic, chiefly in the names of birds and mammals, as spot-billed, spot-necked, spot-tailed.See also spot-winged adj. at Compounds 5.

ΚΠ

1713 J. Petiver Aquatilium Animalium Amboinæ 1/2 Smooth spot-lipt Casket.

1811 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. VIII. i. 244 Spot-eared Creeper.

1905 Westm. Gaz. 9 Oct. 6/3 The spot-billed toucanet (Seleindera maculirostris), now to be seen..at the ‘Zoo’.

1956 Nature 10 Mar. 445/2 Spot-necked otter.

2013 I. Campbell & S. Woods Wildlife Austral. 40 The largest species, the Spot-tailed Quoll, is the only species that has a spotted tail.

C4. Adverbial, with the sense ‘so as to target a small area or definite point on a surface’.

a. With verbs, as spot clean, spot treat, etc.

ΚΠ

1910 Atlantic (Iowa) Daily Tel. 4 Apr. 2 (advt.) We do not mearly [sic] ‘spot clean’ your garments; every thread of the fabric is thoroughly cleaned and freshened up by our process.

1942 S. Aitken in 34th Ann. Rep. Oregon State Hort. Soc. 33 We spot sprayed about ⅓ of the Newtown acreage with 2% and entirely eliminated all fruit on the areas of the trees sprayed.

1999 BBC Gardeners' World Apr. 24/2 Spot treat greenfly, especially on plum trees, before infestations become out of control.

2013 Wall St. Jrnl. 14 Dec. d11/6 A swarm of 908 airborne ‘mini-robots’..scout your home from above and then drop down to spot clean dirty surfaces.

b. With nouns, as spot cleaning, spot treatment, etc.

ΚΠ

1924 C. C. Hubbard Instructor in Garment Cleaning xii. 228 Spot dyeing, as its name implies, is a process..in which a small portion of a garment..is restored to its uniform color by applying a suitable dye to such portion or fabric.

1955 Pop. Mech. Dec. 228/2 Generally it's necessary to bleach an old floor all over in order to obtain a uniform color. Spot-bleaching is seldom satisfactory.

1993 Garden Answers May 33/2 Spot treatment with a spray or painting it on in gel form is easier than digging roots out!

2016 Washington Post (Nexis) 18 Feb. t3 It looks like the rug has either been stained (and then someone tried to do a little spot cleaning) or simply gotten wet.

c. With participial adjectives, as spot cleaned, spot treated, etc.

ΚΠ

1939 Jrnl. Pomol. & Hort. Sci. 16 340 No residual effect on spot-sprayed trees was noticed in the third year after spraying.

1974 Proc. 27th N.Z. Weed & Pest Control Conf. 90 Trials have been conducted to determine the amount of root regrowth from spot treated plants.

2006 Impressions Nov. 56/1 It dries the spot-cleaned garment quickly and helps eliminate the formation of rings.

C5.

spot ad n. (a) a print advertisement occupying a small space on a page; (b) Broadcasting (originally U.S.) a radio or television advertisement occupying a short break during or between programmes; = spot advertisement n.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of

news bulletin1857

news summary1875

police message1886

newsflash1904

headline1908

play-by-play1909

feature1913

spot ad1916

magazine1921

news1923

time signal1923

outside broadcast1924

radiocast1924

amateur hour1925

bulletin1925

serial1926

commentary1927

rebroadcast1927

school broadcast1927

feature programme1928

trailer1928

hour1930

schools broadcast1930

show1930

spot advertisement1930

spot announcement1930

sustaining1931

flash1934

newscast1934

commercial1935

clambake1937

remote1937

repeat1937

snap1937

soap opera1939

sportcast1939

spot commercial1939

daytimer1940

magazine programme1941

season1942

soap1943

soaper1946

parade1947

public service announcement1948

simulcasting1949

breakfast-time television1952

call-in1952

talkathon1952

game show1953

kidvid1955

roundup1958

telenovela1961

opt-out1962

miniseries1963

simulcast1964

soapie1964

party political1966

novela1968

phone-in1968

sudser1968

schools programme1971

talk-in1971

God slot1972

roadshow1973

trail1973

drama-doc1977

informercial1980

infotainment1980

infomercial1981

kideo1983

talk-back1984

indie1988

omnibus1988

teleserye2000

kidult-

1916 Printers' Ink 21 Sept. 49/2 The minute spot ad showing a man's head and a hand printing-press with the behest to ‘print your own’.

1934 J. Rorty Our Master's Voice Advertising 269 Canada prohibits the broadcasting of ‘spot ads’.

1974 Jrnl. Jewish Educ. 43 iv. 17/2 The print advertising schedule..included one full-page ad and 4 spot ads in the New York Times and New York Post.

2007 Vanity Fair June 98/3 We..face the dismal prospect of being bombarded by professional spot ads every time we turn on the radio or TV.

spot advertisement n. (a) a print advertisement occupying a small space on a page; (b) Broadcasting (originally U.S.) a radio or television advertisement occupying a short break during or between programmes; cf. sense A. 19.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of

news bulletin1857

news summary1875

police message1886

newsflash1904

headline1908

play-by-play1909

feature1913

spot ad1916

magazine1921

news1923

time signal1923

outside broadcast1924

radiocast1924

amateur hour1925

bulletin1925

serial1926

commentary1927

rebroadcast1927

school broadcast1927

feature programme1928

trailer1928

hour1930

schools broadcast1930

show1930

spot advertisement1930

spot announcement1930

sustaining1931

flash1934

newscast1934

commercial1935

clambake1937

remote1937

repeat1937

snap1937

soap opera1939

sportcast1939

spot commercial1939

daytimer1940

magazine programme1941

season1942

soap1943

soaper1946

parade1947

public service announcement1948

simulcasting1949

breakfast-time television1952

call-in1952

talkathon1952

game show1953

kidvid1955

roundup1958

telenovela1961

opt-out1962

miniseries1963

simulcast1964

soapie1964

party political1966

novela1968

phone-in1968

sudser1968

schools programme1971

talk-in1971

God slot1972

roadshow1973

trail1973

drama-doc1977

informercial1980

infotainment1980

infomercial1981

kideo1983

talk-back1984

indie1988

omnibus1988

teleserye2000

kidult-

1930 Printers' Ink 24 July 122/1 The result was a series of ‘spot’ advertisements, appearing on the financial page of local newspapers.

1936 N.Y. Times 19 July x. 10/7 Sponsored programs and spot advertisements for Norwegian export articles will be used to finance the broadcasts.

1962 Rep. Comm. Broadcasting 1960 82 in Parl. Papers 1961–2 (Cmnd. 1753) X. 259 The principle of the control of advertising time applied only to ‘spot’ advertisements, and not in any analogous way to advertising magazines.

2006 Financial Times 13 Dec. 2 Teleshopping is regulated as a form of advertising, and general editorial channels are allowed to carry it in the form of short spot advertisements.

2007 Journalism Stud. 8 636 The magazines are usually self-funding, primarily through the sale of different kinds of advertising space (spot advertisements, advertorial and product placement, for example).

spot advertising n. (a) the action or practice of advertising within a restricted market; the result of this; (b) the action or practice of advertising in a small space on a page or a short break in a broadcast; the result of this.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > broadcasting > [noun] > broadcasting specific type of programme or item

spot advertising1904

outside broadcasting1925

school broadcasting1926

newscasting1928

sportcasting1934

sportscasting1941

revival1955

pray-TV1957

trailing1961

radiovision1963

1904 Saddlery & Harness July 31/2 You can actually confine [bill-posting] to the neighbourhoods you most desire to reach... It is what may be termed ‘spot’ advertising.

1915 G. H. Perry in M. Thorpe Coming Newspaper 271 It gives us the opportunity of what we call ‘spot’ advertising, advertising that can be done in certain territories.

1961 Ann Reg. 1960 452 The amount of ‘spot’ advertising in the clock hour was to be reduced to 7½ minutes.

1979 Guardian 4 Aug. 8/7 If it [sc. ITV-2] may show only block not spot advertising, that is, more or less lengthy stretches of uninterrupted advertising.

1980 Statist. Abstr. U.S. 580 Spot advertising is considered time bought by a national advertiser on a selective market basis.

2005 Campaign 11 Feb. 10/2 Every time a household subscribes to Sky Plus, the power of old-fashioned spot advertising diminishes by another small yet inexorable fraction.

spot announcement n. a radio or television announcement occupying a short break during or between programmes; cf. sense A. 19.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of

news bulletin1857

news summary1875

police message1886

newsflash1904

headline1908

play-by-play1909

feature1913

spot ad1916

magazine1921

news1923

time signal1923

outside broadcast1924

radiocast1924

amateur hour1925

bulletin1925

serial1926

commentary1927

rebroadcast1927

school broadcast1927

feature programme1928

trailer1928

hour1930

schools broadcast1930

show1930

spot advertisement1930

spot announcement1930

sustaining1931

flash1934

newscast1934

commercial1935

clambake1937

remote1937

repeat1937

snap1937

soap opera1939

sportcast1939

spot commercial1939

daytimer1940

magazine programme1941

season1942

soap1943

soaper1946

parade1947

public service announcement1948

simulcasting1949

breakfast-time television1952

call-in1952

talkathon1952

game show1953

kidvid1955

roundup1958

telenovela1961

opt-out1962

miniseries1963

simulcast1964

soapie1964

party political1966

novela1968

phone-in1968

sudser1968

schools programme1971

talk-in1971

God slot1972

roadshow1973

trail1973

drama-doc1977

informercial1980

infotainment1980

infomercial1981

kideo1983

talk-back1984

indie1988

omnibus1988

teleserye2000

kidult-

1930 Carpenter Apr. 46/1 The Carpenters District Council has consummated a contract with Radio Broadcasting Station W. L. B. F. Kansas City, Kansas, for..a spot announcement every morning between 7.30 and 8.30.

1949 Consumer Reports May 236/2 A ‘spot announcement’..can..be inserted between the close of one commercial program and the opening of the next.

1976 National Observer (U.S.) 3 July 13 To defend his position, Mr. Reagan taped a 1½ minute ‘spot’ announcement.

2008 Wall St. Jrnl. 3 Jan. b11 Young documentary filmmakers might want to make a ‘thirty-second informational spot announcement about some aspect of school procedures’.

spot-barred adj. Billiards designating a format of play in which the number of consecutive spot strokes is limited; of or relating to such play. Now disused; see note at spot stroke n.Cf. quot. 1873 at sense A. 9c.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [adjective] > type of game

spot-barred1874

three-cushion1910

1874 Morning Post 17 Mar. 3/4 (headline) Cook's Spot-barred Handicap.

1885 Rules Billiards §43 In a spot-barred game only one winning hazard is allowed to be made in the top pockets.

1910 Encycl. Brit. III. 937/2 In the modern spot-barred and push-barred game with a championship table, H. W. Stevenson in April 1904 made 788 against C. Dawson.

1950 Sunday News of India 9 July 12/7 A law..which laid down that only two red pots could be made off the ‘spot’..and so the spot-barred era followed.

spot board n. Building a flat board, often set on a stand at table height, on which a batch of mixed plaster, cement, etc., may be placed conveniently for transfer to a hawk or hand board; cf. sense A. 11.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > [noun] > plasterer's tools > board or tray

boss1542

hand board1688

hawk1700

spot board1877

spot1922

1877 M. M. Kirkman Railway Disbursem. ii. 30 Spot boards.

1931 W. Verrall in T. Corkhill Brickwork, Concrete & Masonry VIII. xxxi. 1940 The spot board, as it is sometimes called, is made of floor boards, about 3 ft. long, nailed together with cleats at the back.

2002 Compl. Bk. Garden Projects 70/3 Mix up the mortar either on a large board or in a cement mixer and tip it on to the spotboard.

spot break n. Billiards a consecutive series of successful spot strokes; (also) the number of points thus scored; cf. break n.¹ 6a.Now disused; see note at spot stroke n.

ΚΠ

1868 Bell's Life in London 19 Dec. 10/1 The Champion now came out in wonderful form, scoring..spot breaks of 15, 10, 24, 10, 18, 7, and 14.

1876 Country 13 July 45/1 A grandly played spot break of 510, in the manipulation of which he holed the red a hundred and sixty-nine times consecutively.

1936 Western Times 9 Apr. 12/1 Mr. D. W. Slee was awarded the prize in the spot-break competition.

spot card n. originally U.S. a playing card between one (ace) and ten, a card that is not a face card.

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1862 Newport (Rhode Island) Daily News 16 Apr. The Spot Cards are numbered from the Ace to the Ten Spot in each suit.

1909 T. N. Downs & J. N. Hilliard Art of Magic vi. 132 It is a spot card, is it not? I was sure of it. I am rarely mistaken on spot cards, and particularly when the card in question is the four of diamonds.

1983 T. Reese & D. Bird Bridge (1985) xvii. 173 Against expert opponents, who cast an eagle eye on every spot-card, more subtle brushwork may be needed.

2015 Daily News (S. Afr.) (Nexis) 24 June (Entertainment section) 7 He took advantage of the excellent spot cards in the trump suit.

spot cash adv. and n. originally Stock Market (a) adv. immediately and in cash; cf. on the spot adv. 3; (b) n. money paid immediately and in cash.

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society > trade and finance > money > [noun] > ready money or cash

ready money1429

argent-contentc1540

bitec1555

present money1572

chink1580

cash1600

bit1607

real money1675

fob?c1680

Darby1682

ready1684

blunt1819

makeready1830

hardshells1840

ante1843

spot cash1855

call money1856

necessary1897

1855 Bankers' Circular 20 Jan. 462/2 Spelter has improved in price 5s to 10s, and about 600 tons have been sold, spot cash at £25.

1879 Bradstreet's 8 Oct. 4/3 A business Utopia where credit shall be unknown and ‘spot cash’ an unvarying rule.

1897 M. H. Stine Niemans ix. 79 After the boom they offered these same lots for just one tenth of what they had paid for them ‘spot cash’.

1909 A. M. N. Lyons Sixpenny Pieces ii. 12 The spot-cash practitioners of Mile End Road are rather strange and foreign to us.

1957 V. Packard Hidden Persuaders xii. 131 After the car went on sale reports from dealers stated that 90 per cent of the people buying paid spot cash.

1972 Nassau County Hist. Soc. Jrnl. 32 ii. 4 John Haff ferried ice to High Hill Beach from Seaford..and sold it—spot cash—by the chunk.

1999 W. L. Heat Moon River Horse i. 27 Everything sold only for spot cash.

spot colour n. (in offset printing) a colour produced by a single application of pure or mixed colour; contrasted with process colour.

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1939 Standard Rate & Data Service Nov. 312/3 Spot color calls for artwork of simple design, with no overlapping colors, or separations.

1976 Caribbean Stud. 16 189 Among the equipment is a six-unit Crabtree rotary press capable of producing four color process work, and additional spot colors on a number of pages.

2002 P. Baines & A. Haslam Type & Typogr. v. 110/1 Specific colours for single, two-colour or three-colour printing are known as spot colours and are usually chosen from a colour matching system such as Pantone.

spot commercial n. Broadcasting (originally U.S.) a radio or television advertisement occupying a short break during or between programmes; cf. spot advertisement n. (b).

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society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of

news bulletin1857

news summary1875

police message1886

newsflash1904

headline1908

play-by-play1909

feature1913

spot ad1916

magazine1921

news1923

time signal1923

outside broadcast1924

radiocast1924

amateur hour1925

bulletin1925

serial1926

commentary1927

rebroadcast1927

school broadcast1927

feature programme1928

trailer1928

hour1930

schools broadcast1930

show1930

spot advertisement1930

spot announcement1930

sustaining1931

flash1934

newscast1934

commercial1935

clambake1937

remote1937

repeat1937

snap1937

soap opera1939

sportcast1939

spot commercial1939

daytimer1940

magazine programme1941

season1942

soap1943

soaper1946

parade1947

public service announcement1948

simulcasting1949

breakfast-time television1952

call-in1952

talkathon1952

game show1953

kidvid1955

roundup1958

telenovela1961

opt-out1962

miniseries1963

simulcast1964

soapie1964

party political1966

novela1968

phone-in1968

sudser1968

schools programme1971

talk-in1971

God slot1972

roadshow1973

trail1973

drama-doc1977

informercial1980

infotainment1980

infomercial1981

kideo1983

talk-back1984

indie1988

omnibus1988

teleserye2000

kidult-

1939 Hammond (Indiana) Times 1 Feb. 5/3 It's a different program until it comes time to sell cereal—then it becomes..as cheaply low as a WWAE spot commercial.

1962 A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio i. 18 He [sc. the announcer] also presents programme trailers and (in many countries outside Britain) spot commercials.

2011 National Post's Financial Post & FP Investing (Canada) (Nexis) 9 Apr. fp2 The 30-second spot commercial on television is still a powerful way to reach a mass audience watching the Super Bowl or Oscars.

spot dance n. a dance competition in which couples move around the dance floor until the music stops, at which time the couple nearest a designated place on the floor wins.A spotlight may be used to indicate the designated place.

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society > leisure > dancing > types of dance or dancing > ballroom dancing > [noun] > others

quickstep1793

turkey-trot1839

racket1880

Military Schottische1882

veleta1900

military two-step1911

one-step1911

spot dance1911

Paul Jones1914

foxtrot1915

foxtrotting1916

Maxina1917

Boston two-step1918

slow foxtrot1918

twinkle1920

camel-walk1921

Charleston1923

slop1962

1911 Chester (Pa.) Times 29 Nov. 3/1 A spot dance will be given in Pierson's Hall... A handsome gold bracelet will be given as first prize.

1947 Daily Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 4 Nov. 15/1 Spot dances, raffles, games and a grand floor show.

2002 W. Woodruff Road to Nab End (2003) 179 The spot-dance, especially when it was a waltz, was my favourite. The moment the main lights were switched off, and the spotlight was switched on, a hush fell on the room.

spot dial n. now historical a sundial in which the time is indicated by the position of a spot, esp. a bright spot produced by sunlight shining through a hole or reflected from a mirror.

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the world > time > instruments for measuring time > [noun] > sundial

chilindrec1386

dialc1425

sundial1555

clocka1562

cylinder1593

horoscope1623

compass-dial1632

moon dial1664

ring dial1667

heliotrope1669

pole-dial1669

sciatheric1682

spot dial1687

polar dial1688

sun clock1737

meridian ring1839

solarium1842

journey-ring1877

scratch dial1914

1687 G. Clark Spot-dial 5 The Spot-Dial is of two sorts; in the one the Lines go to a black Spot, in the other a bright Spot goes to the Lines.

1734 I. Watts Reliquiæ Juveniles lxvii. 295 On a Ceiling Dial, usually called a Spot-Dial.

1902 A. M. Earle Sun Dials & Roses Yesterday ii. 51 In a spot-dial you tell the hour by a mark of light instead of shadow.

1974 D. G. Fountain Isaac Watts Remembered vii. 67 In one of the rooms..was a ceiling or Spot Dial—an invention of Sir Isaac Newton—which consisted of a little mirror fixed in the floor so as to reflect the sun on to a dial marked on the ceiling.

spot effect n. Broadcasting (chiefly in plural) a sound effect produced live during a broadcast or recording session.

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society > communication > broadcasting > putting on or producing broadcast > [noun] > background sound or effects

atmosphere1941

spot effect1941

FX1954

Foley1973

1941 B.B.C. Gloss. Broadcasting Terms 31 Spot effects, effects created in a studio where the performance of which they form part is taking place.

1961 G. Millerson Technique Television Production i. 14 A spot-effects man sounds the horn of an ‘approaching car’.

2002 L. Purves Radio (2003) iv. 52 We were briefly instructed in the art of ‘spot effects’, in which rather than struggle with some damned gramophone you got to make the noises for a drama yourself, with bits of coconut and fake doors and gravel pits to crunch your footsteps in.

† spot fairy n. Obsolete a variety of domestic pigeon; cf. spot pigeon n.

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the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Columbiformes (pigeons, etc.) > domestic pigeon > [noun] > other types

porcelainc1530

turn-pate1611

light horseman1661

runt1661

smiter1668

helmet1676

mammet1678

Cortbeck1688

turbit1688

turner1688

dragoon1725

finicking1725

Leghorn1725

nun1725

owl1725

petit1725

trumpeter1725

horseman1735

Mahomet1735

barbel1736

turn-tail1736

frill-back1765

blue rock1825

beard1826

ice pigeon1829

toy1831

black1839

skinnum1839

splash1851

whole-feather1851

spangle1854

swallow1854

shield1855

stork pigeon1855

Swabian1855

yellow1855

archangel1867

dragon1867

starling1867

magpie1868

smerle1869

bluette1870

cumulet1876

oriental1876

spot fairy1876

turbiteen1876

blondinette1879

hyacinth1879

Modena pigeon1879

silver-dun1879

silverette1879

silver-mealy1879

swift pigeon1879

Victoria1879

visor1879

ice1881

swallow pigeon1881

velvet fairy1881

priesta1889

frill1890

1876 Pet-stock, Pigeon & Poultry Bull. May 28/2 The Burmese or Florentine, the Starling, and the Spot Fairy;..all beautiful specimens of the German Toys.

1881 J. C. Lyell Fancy Pigeons 88 The stork..has been already described in a late publication, under the name of ‘Spot Fairy’.

spot fire n. a fire ignited by a spark or a piece of burning wood carried from an initial fire (usually a forest fire) by the wind.

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1924 N.Y. Times Mag. 2 Nov. 10/2 The flanks of the little grass fire angle outward with incredible swiftness, linking up with the ‘spot’ fires set to right and left by the whirling sparks.

1949 Public Admin. Rev. 9 224/1 Slugger needed plenty of help, but he was too busy chopping and clearing and fighting spot fires to know how little he was accomplishing.

1976 Billings (Montana) Gaz. 5 July 1 d/4 Acting Park Superintendent Alan Mebane said Sunday the fire fighters were still controlling spot fires in the east side.

2011 Jrnl. Tribune (Biddeford, Maine) 28 June a7/5 Laboratory officials said the wildfire sparked a spot fire on its property that was soon contained Monday.

spotfish n. (originally) = sense A. 8b; (in recent use) (more fully pearl spotfish) the green chromide, Etroplus suratensis, an edible South Asian cichlid of fresh and brackish water.

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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > member of leiostomus xanthurus (spot)

goody1855

spot1864

roach1873

spotfish1875

the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > fish > other edible fish

dogdrave1227

lamprey1297

lingc1300

loach1357

tench1390

carpc1440

rougetc1485

anchovy1582

pompano1598

tai1620

alewife1633

tug-whitingc1650

weakfish1686

ten-pounder1699

fire-flaira1705

tusk1707

porgy1725

katsuo1727

rockfish1731

tautog1750

sea bass1765

Albany beef1779

sable1810

Murray cod1843

paradise fish1858

spot1864

strawberry bass1867

nannygai1871

maomao1873

spotfish1875

strawberry perch1877

milkfish1880

tarwhine1880

tile-fish1881

latchett1882

tile1893

anago1895

flake1906

branzino1915

rascasse1921

lampuki1925

red fish1951

the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > genus Sciaena > sciaena ocellata (red drum)

bass1530

drummer1615

drum1649

red drum1709

drummer fish1725

red fish1763

red sciaena1803

red bass1837

spot1864

school bass1869

channel bass1873

spotfish1875

masooka1884

red horse1884

red1958

1875 Fur, Fin & Feather 122 You are always welcome to a seat in his boat, if disposed for snipe or duck, or spot-fish.

1915 Amer. Mag. Jan. 13/2 They found it possible to take perfectly distinct pictures of various small fish—spot fish, croakers, and others.

2013 N.Y. Mag. 22 Apr. 54/1 Try the karimeen pollichathu, a Keralan specialty of fresh-caught pearl spotfish cooked in banana leaves.

spot hazard n. Billiards a shot that pockets the red ball, esp. one that leaves the cue ball in a position to repeat the shot; = spot stroke n.Now disused; see note at spot stroke n.

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1861 Notts. Guardian 2 May 8/2 He made the following long scores at different breaks, viz.:—96 off, including 12 spot red hazards 58, including 4 spot hazards, and 195, including 53 spot hazards.

1905 Badminton Mag. Feb. 168 That unrivalled artist in his own particular line, spot-hazard striking.

1930 Times 11 Apr. 17/6 Cook, in 1872, made a break of 926, with 262 consecutive spot hazards.

spot height n. Surveying and Cartography the height of a point above a datum line (usually mean sea level); an indication of this on a map; colloquial an elevated point on the ground, the height of which is indicated on a map.

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the world > the earth > earth sciences > geography > map-making > surveying > [noun] > datum for heights > spot height

spot level1886

spot height1911

1911 Surveyor (Sydney) Sept. 160 The heights of contours should..be shown at their extremities, and the top of hills, if not a contour, should have spot heights printed on.

1953 G. R. Crone Maps & their Makers ix. 138 The earliest British map to include spot heights appears to be Christopher Packe ‘Physico-chorographical chart’ of Kent, 1743.

1977 D. Beaty Excellency vi. 74 He drew his track on the maps and charts..and memorized the spot-heights over the Alps.

2004 Trail May 97/3 Follow the fence eastwards to climb past a pronounced spot height.

spot inspection n. an inspection based on a random or representative sample, or one made without prior warning; cf. spot check n.

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1921 Los Angeles County Farm Bureau Monthly July 7/2 A spot inspection for red scale over some 90 acres of young trees located 13 infested trees where 31 were found a year ago.

1939 School Rev. 47 729 That employment of children of fourteen and fifteen, and even of eight, nine, and ten years, is not entirely a thing of the past has been amply demonstrated by the Children's Bureau's spot inspections during the past year.

1985 Teaching Sociol. 12 337 You should always carry your journal to class to have it ready for spot inspection, collection, discussion, or to write in.

2007 Gazette (Montreal) (Nexis) 8 June a1 In surprise spot inspections of six detention centres, Saint-Germain's team found the overcrowding situation has moved beyond just two prisoners to a cell.

spot kick n. Association Football a free kick; (now) spec. a free kick at goal from the penalty spot, a penalty.

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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > association football > [noun] > actions or manoeuvres

holding1866

hand-balling1867

left-footer1874

header1875

handball1879

goal kick1881

corner1882

spot kick1884

middle1899

clearance1920

cross-kick1927

cross-pass1929

body swerve1933

open goal1934

headball1936

chip1939

through-ball1956

wall pass1958

outswinger1959

cross1961

overlap1969

blooter1976

hospital pass1978

route one1978

sidefoot1979

top bin1999

ankle-biting2001

1884 Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 15 Apr. 7/1 A prize for the best spot kick was competed for by several players.

1910 Aberdeen Daily Jrnl. 31 Oct. 9/5 Aberdeen were granted a penalty, Nichol being tripped, but he failed to beat Balfour with the spot kick.

1977 Belfast Tel. 22 Feb. 30/6 Magee remains the Blues' spot kick expert and, if a penalty is awarded.., he will be the man to take it.

2002 Mirror 18 Mar. (Mania section) 9/5 Then came the penalty that none of us thought was a spot kick, and everyone we have spoken to since did not think it was either.

spotlamp n. (a) an electric light casting a narrow and intense beam; = spotlight n. 1a; (b) a powerful auxiliary electric lamp on a motor vehicle used to illuminate objects not within range of the headlights; = spotlight n. 2.

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the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > artificial light defined by light-source > electric light > [noun] > spotlight

spotlight1875

spotlamp1900

lite1924

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > parts and equipment of motor vehicles > [noun] > other exterior lights

side lamp1780

brake light1853

running light1863

spotlight1875

rear lamp1884

spotlamp1900

sidelight1906

parking lamp1926

parking light1927

reversing lamp1927

stop light1930

pass light1938

pass lamp1948

stop lamp1959

parker1967

1900 Western Electrician 15 Dec. 378/1 A double reflector and a ‘spot’ lamp are operated from this latter circuit.

1937 Motor Catal. (East London Rubber Co.) 151 ‘Raydyot’ Spot Lamp... Universal movement.

1962 H. C. Weston Sight, Light & Work (ed. 2) vi. 197 A low voltage 50 watt spot-lamp unit..can be mounted at a distance of 6 ft. from the work and yet provide an illumination upwards of 300 lm/f.²

1976 Liverpool Echo 22 Nov. 14/3 (advt.) Daimler Sovereign 1973, automatic, power steering,..spotlamps, [etc.].

2000 Esquire July 69/1 (advt.) It inherits the Goddess's long flowing lines and details such as the shark's-head bonnet, one-branch steering wheel and twin front spotlamps.

spot lens n. (a) Microscopy a condensing lens having a black spot painted in the centre or an opaque disc mounted below to intercept direct light, used for dark-field illumination; (b) a lens which focuses the output of a lamp into a narrow beam; the lens of a spotlight.

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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > lens > [noun] > other lenses

concave1632

globe1653

meniscus1693

hemispherule1696

convex1705

omphaloptic1728

omphalopter1738

crown lens1764

achromatic1785

condenser1798

meniscus lens1820

Fresnel lens1835

bull's-eye1839

Stanhope lens1850

spot lens1860

amplifier1866

achromat1873

projectora1884

aplanat1890

triplet condenser1892

Aldis lens1902

monocentric1922

Schmidt correcting plate1934

coated lens1948

Panavision1955

Schmidt correcting lens1961

re-imaging1962

1855 J. Quekett Pract. Treat. Use Microscope (ed. 3) ii. ii. 221 The blackground illumination may also be effected by..a nearly spherical lens, having its centre covered with a disc of tinfoil; this instrument is known as the ‘spotted lens’.

1857 L. S. Beale How to work with Microscope ii. 16 This little instrument which I now show you is termed a spot-glass, and consists of a plano-convex lens... In the centre of the flat surface is placed a small circular piece of black paper in order to prevent the passage of any direct rays of light.]

1860 G. Rainy in Glasgow Med. Jrnl. Oct. 283 The observer is as it were looking at the retina through an apparatus similar, in certain respects, to that known as a spot lens.

1903 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 1902 54 793 The lorica shows yellowish-brown by transmitted light, bluish-green with a brown edge with spot-lens.

1945 Pop. Photogr. Mar. 8/2 (caption) No. 17 Spotlight..with spot lens.

1998 P. A. Annis & T. W. Quigley in J. Summerscales Microstruct. Characterisation Fibre-reinforced Composites ii. 27 To optimize reflected illumination, we use free standing fiber optic illuminators with spot lenses and/or a fiber optic ring illuminator attached to the objective of our stereo microscope.

2013 H. C. Box Set Lighting Technician's Handbk. (ed. 4) x. 235 A Nila daylight with flood lens gives 32 fc [= footcandles] at 10 ft. With the spot lens it gets 180 fc at the same distance.

spot level n. Surveying = spot height n.; also figurative.

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the world > the earth > earth sciences > geography > map-making > surveying > [noun] > datum for heights > spot height

spot level1886

spot height1911

1886 Votes & Proc. Legislative Assembly New S. Wales 966 ‘Spot’ levels should also be taken at all the intersections of streets.

1908 N. F. Mackenzie Methods of Surv. x. 118 From these ‘spot levels’ the actual contour lines are sketched in by interpolation.

1958 Listener 20 Nov. 813/1 As the polls attempt a nationwide cross-section one would expect them to reflect the gradual development and movement of political opinion..more steadily and consistently than the spot-levels, so to speak, which are taken at by-elections, with all their variations of locality, candidate, and so on.

1974 W. H. Irvine Surveying for Constr. iii. 12/1 At present spot levels are shown to the nearest foot but with metrication the levels will be to the nearest 100 mm.

2004 P. Hymers New Home Builder iii. 52 The only way to be sure of the gradients is to undertake a levelling survey of your plot with spot levels marked out at strategic points.

spot list v. transitive (in Britain and Ireland) to place (a building) on a statutory preservation register as the result of special consideration, esp. in the face of proposed demolition or modification; cf. list v.⁴ 1e.

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1969 Estates Gaz. 11 Oct. 149/1 The Minister of Housing has now ‘spot listed’ the buildings on the grounds of their architectural and historic interest.

1977 M. Binney in M. Binney & P. Burman Change & Decay 188/1 If a church is of any merit yet still not listed it is worth asking the Department of the Environment to consider spotlisting it.

2004 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 20 Mar. 717/2 I wrote to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport suggesting..that it [sc. the underground hospital] was under threat and should therefore be spot listed.

spot listing n. (a) = spot ad n. (a) (rare); (b) (in Britain and Ireland) the action or process of placing a building on a statutory preservation register as the result of special consideration, esp. in the face of proposed demolition or modification; cf. spot list vb.

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society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > types of building generally > [verb (transitive)] > place building on a list

spot listing1957

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > types of building generally > [noun] > listed building > placing of building on a list

spot listing1957

1957 N.Y. Times 21 July w8 (advt.) See spot listing for Art Positions.

1960 5th Rep. Select Comm. Estimates 61/1 in Parl. Papers 1959–60 (H.C. 274) VI. 321 We have a method of spot-listing. If we are told by telephone that a building which has not yet been listed is on the point of being demolished, we put it on a list containing that building alone.

1973 Times 8 Jan. 3/3 Widespread ‘spot listing’ to save buildings threatened by development may be counter-productive.

2008 Victorian July 11/3 The only two major buildings under threat, the 1930s library and the 1970s market hall, having been saved by spot listing.

spot-made adj. made on the spot, makeshift.

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the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > recourse > [adjective] > makeshift

extemporal1626

extemporary1631

extempore1694

extemporaneous1725

impromptu1764

makeshift1824

makeshifty1858

spot-made1894

make-do1923

roll-your-own1942

Band-Aid1970

1894 Outing June 173/2 The bridles were mostly spot-made with a bit of cord doing service as reins.

1999 C. Harryman Words xvii. 74 If one [heart] were shaped and molded over a long time through meditative practice and one were spot-made, what about the third heart?

spot map n. (a) Astronomy a map or diagram showing the distribution of sunspots (or similar regions on other stars); (b) gen. a map in which spots or points indicate individual locations or occurrences of something.

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1870 M. Williams Fuel of Sun vi. 47 Comparisons of Mr Carrington's spot-maps and the Kew pictures with positions of the planets.

1884 Lancet 6 Sept. 435/2 The part referring to the ‘spot maps’ I have made was left out in that abstract.

1901 L. C. Parkes & H. R. Kenwood Hygiene & Public Health xi. 666 ‘Spot maps’—maps of a district, on which the deaths or cases of various infectious diseases are spotted out—furnish valuable graphic expressions of any grouping.

1973 J. J. McKelvey Man against Tsetse ii. 81 In three months the commission acquired 460 collections of flies and made a spot map of tsetse locations.

1979 Dictionaries 1 36 The spot maps will be effectively utilized to show the distribution of a single [dialectal] term.

2004 G. Rüdiger & R. Hollerbach Magnetic Universe iv. 106 (caption) FK Com light-curves and spot maps for 1990-1993.

2007 D. M. Dwyer & C. Groves in K. E. Nelson & C. F. Masters Williams Infectious Dis. Epidemiol. (ed. 2) v. 164 Spot maps of cases by residence, site of care, or location in a facility can help explain the occurrence of cases.

spot meter n. a photometer that measures the intensity of light received within a cone of small angle, typically 2° or less.

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the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > instruments for measuring > [noun] > light or radiation

phaometer1747

photometer1779

diaphanometer1789

lucimeter1825

refractometer1842

Abbe refractometer1876

dietheroscope1877

reflectometer1879

radiomicrometer1887

holophotometer1888

flicker photometer1896

microphotometer1899

diffractometer1909

spot meter1952

photopolarimeter1971

1949 Jrnl. Soc. Motion Picture & Television Engineers Nov. 607/1 The Tele-Spot Meter..has an optical system enabling it to measure the light coming from a small area, or a narrow angle, such as a one-inch circle at ten feet.]

1952 Jrnl. Soc. Motion Picture & Television Engineers June 552/1 This new Spectra Brightness Spot Meter will soon be available from Photo Research Corp... It is designed to measure the brightness of a very small area at any distance from 4 ft to infinity.

1976 Physics Bull. Sept. 395/3 A range of luminance (brightness) spotmeters and illuminance meters will be displayed.

2000 DigitalFoto Oct. 32/2 Use your camera's spot meter and be sure to take readings from your subject.

spot metering n. Photography a mode of automatic light metering in a camera that takes brightness readings from a small area of the image.

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1966 Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 8 Apr. A5/4 (advt.) Worlds [sic] only spot metering 35mm SLR that shoots thru a stationary mirror. Takes all Canon lenses.]

1967 Los Angeles Times 17 May iii. 11/1 The Miranda Sensorex, with a TTL spot-metering system..attracted much attention.

2004 Digital Photographer No. 24. 36/3 A final point to bear in mind when doing low-key portraits is to use spot metering—a black or dark background will inevitably fool a matrix metering system and lead the camera to underexpose.

spot month n. Stock Market the month during which goods bought on a futures contract will become available for delivery.

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1890 Ann. Rep. Chamber of Commerce N.Y. 1889–90 ii. 38 The lowest point at which the spot month sold was in July at 13.05 cents.

1937 N.Y. Times 29 Sept. 31/7 It was noted that earlier in the year active ‘spot’ months had been closing strong at premiums over later positions.

1995 Hongkong Standard 26 Aug. (Financial Review section) 3/3 Most players [have]..already done their switching from August to September contracts ahead of the spot month's expiry next Wednesday.

† spot pigeon n. Obsolete a variety of domestic pigeon having predominantly white plumage with a spot of another colour above the beak; = sense A. 7.

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the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Columbiformes (pigeons, etc.) > domestic pigeon > [noun] > spot pigeon

spot1676

spot pigeon1783

1783 J. Latham Gen. Synopsis Birds II. ii. 615 Spot Pigeon. This is remarkable, from having on the forehead, above the bill, a spot, which is of the same colour as the tail.

1868 C. Darwin Variation Animals & Plants II. xxvi. 350 The Spot pigeon is characterised by the whole plumage being white.

1908 Proc. Zool. Soc. 18 Feb. 68 As a Spot pigeon was not readily obtainable, a black and white Nun pigeon was substituted.

spot plate n. Chemistry a plate (typically ceramic or plastic) bearing an array of small depressions in which spot tests can be performed.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > chemistry > equipment or apparatus > [noun] > miscellaneous apparatus

bain1477

speculum1650

filtering paper1651

wheel-fire1662

filter paper1670

sun furnace1763

respirator1789

candle-ball1794

rectifier1822

candle-bomb1823

filter1823

oxyhydrogen blowpipe1823

shade1837

graduator1839

pipette1839

thistle funnel1849

pressure tube1852

ozonizer1858

dialyser1861

Liebig condenser1861

Sprengel pump1866

Sprengel tube1866

water softener1867

mercury pump1869

Bunsen burner1870

dialysator1877

test-mixer1877

tube-condenser1877

Kipp1879

reflux condenser1880

policeman1888

converter1889

pressure boiler1891

spot plate1896

hydrogen electrode1898

sampler1902

reactor1903

fume-chamber1905

Permutit1910

microburner1911

salt bridge1915

precipitator1919

Raschig ring1920

microneedle1921

titrator1928

laboratory coatc1936

spray tower1937

precipitron1938

ion exchanger1941

potentiostat1942

chemostat1950

Knudsen pipette1951

pH-stat1956

cryopump1958

1896 Proc. Colorado Sci. Soc. 5 205 The solution can be run in and tested on the spot plate with ferricyanide of potassium.

1937 J. W. Matthews tr. F. Feigl Spot Tests ii. 5 Spot plates are made from glazed porcelain, and usually contain 6–12 adjacent depressions of equal size that hold 0·5–1 c.c. of liquid.

2013 F. Bettelheim & J. Landesberg Lab. Exper. (ed. 8) xli. 495 Transfer 3 drops of each solution into separate depressions of a white spot plate.

spot prize n. a small prize awarded during the course of a competition or social event, often (esp. in later use) for a frivolous or arbitrary accomplishment.

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1916 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 7 May 15/5 Spot prize will be given to best dancer among ladies.

1938 Daily Kennebec Jrnl. (Augusta, Maine) 22 Jan. 8/4 The spot prize will be given to that person who is standing at a secretly marked spot on the floor when the signal is given to halt the dancers.

1952 Times 27 June 1/3 Spot prizes to-night are KIGU powder compacts: do come along.

2011 J. Knight Royal Wedding for Dummies iii. x. 141 Why not try awarding ‘spot’ prizes—a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates say—for answering a bonus question correctly.

spot-proof adj. †(a) (of plants) resistant or immune to spot (sense A. 1d) (obsolete rare); (b) (of fabrics, surfaces, etc.) resistant to small stains.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > treated or processed in specific way > [adjective] > rendered stain-resistant

spot-proof1886

stainless1897

stain-resistant1960

1886 Vermont Watchman 6 Jan. 2/4 We tested many varieties [of beans]..to sift out those with vigorous, rust and spot-proof constitutions.

1891 Amer. Architect & Building News 17 Oct. 42/2 The floor will be grease and spot proof under ordinary conditions.

1918 Jrnl. Dept. Agric. S. Austral. Dec. 418 Why should not spot resistant and perhaps spot proof vines be obtained?

1958 Times 6 Oct. 13/1 Leather and suède jackets and coats many of which are treated to be spot-proof against rain.

2012 Daily Gleaner (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 28 Dec. c11 Spot-proof towels... I am writing in response to your followup column on ‘mystery bleach spots’ on towels.

spot-reduce v. (a) intransitive to (attempt to) lose weight from a particular part of the body; cf. reduce v. 4; (b) transitive to (attempt to) lose (fat) from a particular area of the body by exercising or dieting.

ΚΠ

1958 Atchison (Kansas) Daily Globe 3 Jan. 2/3 Doctors say that you can't reduce in spots. Whether you want to ‘spot’ reduce or reduce all over, see your doctor.

1996 L.A. Daily News 24 June (Life section) 3 You cannot spot-reduce and obliterate any layer of fat over your abs with exercise.

2003 G. Kolata Ultimate Fitness ix. 234 It is futile to try to spot reduce—working your inner thighs, for example, in hopes of slimming them.

2005 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 23 Aug. d5/5 And, liposuction notwithstanding, there is no way to ‘spot-reduce’ stomach fat, just as doing side leg lifts will not trim fat from the hips.

spot reducing n. the (hypothetical) action or process of losing weight from particular areas of the body.

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the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > slim shape or physique > [noun] > making > as part of program > set program > in selected areas of body

spot reducing1936

1936 El Paso (Texas) Herald-Post 29 May 5/2 ‘Spot’ reducing for bodies that need reforming! That's what Miss Nye offers women in this book.

1960 Sunday Express 27 Nov. 14/3 Gymnasia with spot-reducing and general slimming equipment.

2010 Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 1 Nov. 10 a While spot reducing isn't possible, overall toning and weight loss is.

spot remover n. a solution, cream, spray, etc., used to remove stains or blemishes, usually from a fabric, carpet, etc.

ΚΠ

1883 New Remedies Sept. 275/1 (heading) Iron Rust Spot Remover.

1951 J. Kerouac On the Road: Orig. Scroll (2007) 143 I once made a spot remover that has since been copied by big firms in the East.

1991 Seattle Times (Nexis) 19 May g4 If the spot is on your cotton turtleneck, try one of the many commercial enzyme or detergent-based presoaks or spot removers.

2007 J. Ostrow Compl. Idiot's Guide Simple Home Repair ii. vi. 95 You should keep a bottle of carpet spot remover with your cleaning supplies just in case of spills.

spot-removing adj. and n. (a) adj. that removes stains; (b) n. the action or process of removing stains.

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1670 J. Eachard Grounds Contempt of Clergy 56 Many a Good-wife..knows not any thing of the all-powerfulness of Aqua-fortis, how that it is such a Spot-removing Liquor.

1849 Daily Crescent (New Orleans) 26 Sept. It cleans oil-spots, removes stains, hides dirt..such is the virtue of the all-healing, never-failing, spot-removing, beauty-restoring, health-giving, magical, radical, tragical, e-ra-sive soap!

1910 Information May 56 The strong sunlight is very bad for spot removing.

1992 C. Shields Republic of Love (1993) 2 Those girls assigned to..flower arranging, floor waxing, spot removing.

2010 L. Vega Image of Success i. vi. 107 Carry a spot-removing pen for spur-of-the-moment spots that happen seconds before your interview.

† spot-skin adj. Obsolete rare (of an animal) having a spotted coat.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > [adjective] > spotted

spotteda1325

spotty1340

splotty1382

scawed1398

engoutedc1450

dropped1611

measled1634

fly-bitten1639

maculated1646

bedrop1658

polluted1667

diced1671

puncticular1671

pantherine1753

parded1806

guttular1811

naevose1847

pellucido-punctate1847

measly1849

notate1857

maculiferous1863

spot-skin1871

naevous1890

1871 R. Browning Balaustion 81 With them fed in fellowship..spot-skin lynxes.

spot snapper n. either of two tropical snappers of coral reefs in the West Atlantic, Lutjanus synagris (chiefly U.S.) and L. mahogoni (chiefly Caribbean), which have a dark spot on the back.

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the world > animals > fish > miscellaneous types > [noun]

mudfish1502

sprat1552

frogfish1598

rockfish1605

yellowtaila1622

sleeper1668

picarel1688

hogfish1735

porkfish1735

sucker1753

zebrafish1771

yellowbelly1775

white steenbras1801

stone-toter1817

stargazer1842

warehou1848

baardman1853

goatfish1864

holostome1864

spot snapper1876

suck-fish1876

mademoiselle1882

queenfish1883

cigar-fish1884

emperor fish1884

rock beauty1885

oilfish1896

aholehole1897

berrugate1898

Photoblepharon1902

sweet-lip1934

rabbitfish1941

redbait1960

1876 G. B. Goode Catal. Fishes Bermudas 55 The Spot snapper and the Yellow-tail correspond doubtless to Mesoprion uninotatus..and to Ocyurus chrysurus.

1904 Zool. Soc. Bull. July 163/1 Other species in the Aquarium which may be considered old residents are the..spot snapper, red grouper and Nassau grouper.

1919 C. H. Townsend Guide N.Y. Aquarium 67 The Spot Snapper is recognizable by the dark blotch on the body.

1983 J. S. Zaneveld Caribbean Fish Life 62 Lutjanus mahogoni... mahogony [sic] snapper..; spot snapper (J, BWI)... Lutjanus synagris... lane snapper..; spot snapper (Cu, US-F).

spot starter n. Baseball a pitcher on a team's roster who is not in the regular pitching rotation but is available to start on an irregular or interim basis.

ΚΠ

1932 Atlantic (Iowa) News Tel. 3 Mar. 6/2 The two veterans..are also expected to lend considerable assistance, the former as a ‘spot’ starter and the latter as a relief operator.

1951 Washington Post 9 Apr. 13/6 Spot starters Max Lanier..and Harry Brecheen..will have to move into the regular routine.

2005 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 25 Apr. d3/4 The Yankees' spot starter..is on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle.

spot stitch n. (a) a knitting or crochet stitch used to create raised spots; (b) a single sewing stitch repeated at (regular) intervals; a method employing such stitches, esp. as traditionally used by some North American Indians to attach a string of beads or other linear decoration to a fabric.

ΘΚΠ

the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > consisting of loops or looped stitches > crochet > stitch or stitches

tambour-stitchc1840

spot stitch1865

treble1872

foundation-chain1882

octagon-stitch1885

1865 Peterson's Mag. May 382/2 A Neat Spot Stitch.

1879 Rep. Paris Universal Exhib. 1878 585 The lays of leather are..cemented with a strong waterproof composition, and further strengthened by a row of spot-stitches on each edge, about 3 inches apart.

1933 C. A. Lyford Sioux Beadwork 9 The spot stitch, or couching stitch, makes possible the execution of lines moving in complicated curves.

1982 P. Earnshaw Dict. Lace 75 The general appearance of the early knotted laces sometimes closely resembles the raised double stitch or hollow spot stitch of crochet.

2000 C. C. Silverstein Clothed Encounters (Ph.D. thesis, McMaster Univ.) viii. 322 Elaborately beaded accessories, such as bandolier bags, belts, [etc.]..worked in floral and/or geometric designs in ‘spot-stitch’ and/or loomwork.

2013 S. Hazell Crochet Stitch Dict. 93 Spot stitch is another cluster stitch that is worked over a background of single crochet. The bobble is created by working five double crochet stitches together.

spot stroke n. Billiards a shot that pockets the red ball, esp. one that leaves the cue ball in a position to repeat the shot.Modern rules of billiards limit players to two consecutive spot strokes, thereby reducing the shot's prominence.

ΚΠ

1844 E. R. Mardon Billiards Pl. xxviii The ‘Spot’ Stroke..is of great importance; and any one that can play it in a proper manner should never consider the game as lost.

1870 Derby Mercury 19 Jan. 6/4 There can be no question that very long sequences of ‘spot strokes’ will in future be all but impossible on standard tables.

1938 Times 21 Feb. 8/2 The highest break in that match, with the spot stroke unrestricted, was 107.

1991 C. Everton Snooker & Billiards xv. 103/2 These breaks, compiled by the so-called spot-stroke, led to a limitation of the number of consecutive pots which could be made from the spot.

spot test n. (a) a chemical test performed using a single drop or very small sample of the substance to be tested, typically with a reagent that produces a characteristic colour change or precipitate; (b) a test or inspection made on a random or representative sample, or one made without prior warning (cf. spot check n.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > chemistry > chemical tests > [noun] > types

field trial1817

spot test1872

indentation test1897

spot testing1900

reductase test1910

Scoville test1921

the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > [noun] > test or testing for truth or correctness > quick check on random sample

spot test1872

spot check1918

spot-checking1919

1872 Trial Elizabeth Wharton (Baltimore Gaz.) 84/1 The spot test is not deemed of importance in giving the arsenic or antimony in sufficient quantity to test for the metals.

1921 Chem. Abstr. 15 2599 Spot tests which depend upon the formation of PbCrO₄ or of AgCrO₄ are fairly sensitive.

1928 Rep. 21st National Conf. Weights & Meas. (U.S. Dept. of Commerce) 50 This weight is about all that a man would care to move around on a scale platform in making ‘spot’ tests.

1955 Times 16 June 9/3 ‘Spot tests’ could be extended, and it would be well if the Minister were to declare his intention with regard to them.

1960 Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. 194 285/3 For Cu, a spot test is suggested which allows estimation in the range 0·1–0·5 p.p.m.

2012 J. Brown Afr. Amer. Women Chemists 105 Dr. Harris's major projects at Los Alamos Laboratory have included the development of a spot test for identifying explosives.

spot-test v. transitive to subject to a spot test (in either sense).

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > chemistry > chemical tests > subject to a chemical test [verb (transitive)] > specific types

spot-test1913

the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > try or test [verb (transitive)] > test accuracy or correctness of > make quick check of random sample

spot-test1913

spot-check1920

1913 Southwestern Reporter 159 755/1 When the filaments had been treated or ‘flashed’, as it was technically called, they were afterwards ‘spot tested’.

1948 Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 49 268 Prior to quantitative analysis..the fractions are spot-tested on paper impregnated with ninhydrin.

1969 Listener 28 Aug. 287/1 Miss Atwood's Toronto heroine works for Seymour Surveys, spot-testing consumer products.

2014 A. Brecker Probiotics for Life viii. 70 Assays of expiration date potency are spot tested by agents of the Food and Drug Administration.

spot testing n. the carrying out of a spot test (in either sense).

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > chemistry > chemical tests > [noun] > types

field trial1817

spot test1872

indentation test1897

spot testing1900

reductase test1910

Scoville test1921

1900 School of Mines Q. Nov. 91 Paper saturated with solution of dyestuff is excellent for ‘spot’ testing.

1942 Industr. & Engin. Chem. (Analyt. ed.) 15 Apr. 278/2 (heading) Application of infrared radiation to spot-testing.

2004 T. D. Jakes Woman, thou art Loosed! 12 You will be subject to random drug and spot testing as determined by your parole officer.

spot weld n. Engineering a weld produced by spot welding.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > work with metal [verb (transitive)] > weld > with specific technique

seam1703

jump1864

tack1887

spot weld1908

seam-weld1917

tack weld1919

lead-burn1937

projection-weld1950

micro-weld1965

society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > [noun] > welding > joint made by > types of

rust joint1839

butt weld1850

jump-weld1864

jump-joint1874

tee-joint1888

spot weld1908

tack weld1919

seam weld1920

fillet weld1929

fusion weld1930

braze1934

projection weld1938

flash weld1959

1908 Engineering 9 Oct. 486/1 The pedal of one of the machines on view had been made..by attaching a piece of angle iron on each side of the lever by two ‘spot welds’.

1977 Mod. Railways Dec. 488/1 The main handicap..was the high labour cost which resulted from the 50,000 rivets and 60,000 spot-welds involved in the construction of one vehicle.

2009 Mod. Jeweler (Nexis) Mar. 64 Quick spot welds save bench workers a lot of fumbling (and cursing).

spot-weld v. Engineering transitive to join or fasten by spot welding; also in extended use.

ΚΠ

1909 Engineering 15 Jan. 69/3 We have seen three thicknesses of 3/16-in. iron spot-welded together, the spot being about ³/ ₈ in. in diameter.

1973 A. Parrish Mech. Engineer's Ref. Bk. (ed. 11) vi. 34 Aluminium is readily spot welded but the welding parameters must be closely controlled because the metal has a short plastic temperature range.

1986 Consumer Rep. Sept. 580/2 In this recently developed technique, a device called a photocoagulator focuses infrared light into a fine point at the end of a probe, which spot-welds the hemorrhoid in place.

2004 V. A. W. Hillier & P. Coombes Hillier's Fund. Motor Vehicle Technol. (ed. 5) I. 24/2 A body-shell is normally..either made by spot-welding the panels, pillars and pressings together so as to form a strong box, or by building a space frame.

spot-welded adj. Engineering joined or fastened by spot welding.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > metal in specific state or form > [adjective] > welded > in specific manner

butt-welded1848

lap-welded1848

three-iron1892

spot-welded1921

fusion-welded1930

projection-welded1933

microwelded1963

1921 Automobile Engineer Mar. 106/3 (caption) A spot welded bonnet.

1969 J. G. Tweeddale Welding Fabrication II. iii. 87 In a spot welded assembly the joint is comparatively rigid.

2006 A. Livesey & A. Robinson Repair Vehicle Bodies (ed. 5) x. 293/2 State the treatment that should be carried out before replacing a spot welded panel.

spot welder n. Engineering a piece of equipment for carrying out spot welding.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > metalworking equipment > [noun] > welding equipment

welder1896

spot welder1908

seam welder1921

welding torch1921

stitch welder1934

projection welder1946

1908 Mining Jrnl. 14 Nov. 619/2 Another method of welding aluminium sheeting..is the electric system of welding, by means of so-called spot welders.

1963 H. R. Clauser Encycl. Engin. Materials 573/2 Semi-portable spot welders are..available for assemblies such as automotive structures, housings, and cases that cannot be handled by permanently placed..machines.

2005 S. L. Herman Industr. Motor Control (ed. 5) xxiii. 161/2 Four-way valves are used extensively in industry to control the operation of the pneumatic cylinders used on spot welders.

spot welding n. Engineering a form of resistance welding in which one or more small, localized welds are produced on the overlapping surfaces to be joined; also in extended use, esp. in the context of surgical techniques.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > [noun] > welding > types of

butt welding1878

lead burning1886

arc welding1890

thermite process1905

thermite welding1906

resistance welding1908

spot welding1908

seam welding1917

fusion welding1918

projection welding1918

stud welding1918

metal arc welding1926

pressure welding1926

metallic arc welding1927

flash-butt welding1933

flash welding1933

stitch welding1934

rightward welding1936

block welding1943

submerged-arc welding1945

friction welding1946

T.I.G.1960

microwelding1962

1908 Engineering 9 Oct. 486/1 The method of spot-welding appears cheaper, quicker, and as good as riveting.

1912 Internal Combustion Engin. 30 Oct. 387/3 In the spot-welding machine the sheets are joined at spots instead of rivets.

1970 K. Ball Fiat 600, 600D Autobook xii. 141/1 The body structure is made up from nine separate assemblies joined together by spot welding.

1987 Financial Post (Canada) (Nexis) 1 June ii. 19 Laser control of massive gastrointestinal bleeding (‘spot welding’) caused by ulcer disease or cancer, is within reach.

2015 M. Wilson Implementation Robot Syst. i. 11 The initial applications in the automotive industry were mainly spot welding to form the car body.

spot-winged adj. (in the names of birds) characterized by a spot or spots on the wings.

ΚΠ

?a1808 Universal Syst. Nat. Hist. VII. 511 Flycatcher..spot-winged.

1891 Proc. Zool. Soc. 16 June 373 Mr. Howard Saunders also exhibited and made remarks on some specimens of the eggs of the Spot-winged Gull.

1958 C. A. Naether Bk. of Pigeon (ed. 4) viii. 223 Spot-Winged Pigeon, this large and strong bird..hails from South America.

2002 B. Grewal et al. Photogr. Guide Birds India 481 Spot-winged Starling... Saroglossa spiloptera (Spotted-winged Stare, Spot-winged Stare).

spot wobble n. now historical a small periodic oscillation of the scanning spot in a cathode ray tube television, formerly used to render the scanning lines less noticeable.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > broadcasting > television > visual element > [noun] > signals, types, or parts of

picture frequency1926

picture signal1927

black level1935

line frequency1936

pedestal1937

line scan1938

picture black1938

white level1938

porch1941

test signal1945

spot wobble1950

luminance1953

1950 Wireless World Mar. 84 (heading) Television spot-wobble. Simple technique for combating 'lininess' in the raster.

1951 Sun (Baltimore) 19 Oct. (B ed.) 5/7 First sets to incorporate ‘spot wobble’ are 15-inch home receivers. Focusing is by the normal line-pattern method, but the flick of a switch converts to ‘spot wobble’.

1956 B.B.C. Engin. Monogr. No. 1. 5/2 The obliteration of the line structure by carefully adjusted spot wobble is of course essential in any telerecording system if beat patterns are to be avoided when the film is scanned.

2006 D. Howett Television Innovations vii. 88/1 The lower UK line system was given an improved appearance by using a system called spot-wobble, which effectively blurred the coarser 405-line structure.

spot zoning n. U.S. Town Planning the redesignation of a small area for a particular use or development as the result of special consideration; see zoning n. 2.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > [noun] > town-planning or development > dividing into or assigning to specific areas

zoning1912

rezoning1918

spot zoning1927

remap1930

downzoning1961

1927 Washington Post 4 Aug. 18/1 The proposal was named as an alternative to ‘spot zoning’, the reclassification of small parcels of property without changing an entire neighborhood.

1976 Tulane Law Rev. 50 357 The term ‘spot zoning’..may mean rezoning not in accordance with a comprehensive plan, rezoning in the absence of a mistake or change, or rezoning which is arbitrary and improper.

2012 Wall St. Jrnl. 7 Nov. a4/6 It fits the definition of spot zoning... I don't see how it makes sense to take an island of agricultural land..and just deem it commercial.

Derivatives

spot-like adj. resembling or characteristic of a spot or spots.

ΚΠ

1821 S. F. Gray Nat. Arrangem. Brit. Plants I. 550 Thalli tufted, white or grey, spotlike, round.

1887 W. Phillips Man. Brit. Discomycetes 360 Sporidia hyaline; cups seated on a spot-like crust.

1968 V. B. Mountcastle Med. Physiol. (ed. 12) II. lxiii. 1434/2 The sensitive areas were distributed in a spotlike manner.

2007 Gay Times Mar. 22/2 Most guys have got some sort of small spot-like things on their willies—some appear under the foreskin all around the head of the penis and are 100% normal.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

spotv.

Brit.

/spɒt/, U.S.

/spɑt/

Forms: see spot n.¹

Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: spot n.¹

Etymology: < spot n.¹ Compare earlier spotted adj.With the semantic development of senses in branch III., compare similar sense development of mark v. Sense 21a may . The following earlier quotation is more likely to show a transmission error for a different word (perhaps for frot v.) than an earlier instance of sense 5a:1381 Diuersa Servicia in C. B. Hieatt & S. Butler Curye on Inglysch (1985) 73 Lat yt [sc. venisoun] be þereyn þre dayes and þre nyȝt; & after tak yt vp & spot yt wel wyþ gret salt of poite.

I. To stain, mar, and related senses.

a. transitive. To sully the moral character, reputation, etc., of; to stain, tarnish (a reputation, etc.). Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > degrade or impair morally [verb (transitive)] > pollute or defile

afileeOE

awemOE

filec1175

wemc1175

soila1250

foulc1330

defoula1340

bleckc1380

blemishc1380

pollutea1382

tache1390

sulpa1400

vilec1400

spota1413

stain1446

defilec1450

violate1490

tan1530

smear1549

beray1576

moil1596

discolour1598

smut1601

bespurtle1604

sullya1616

commaculatec1616

decolour?c1622

collutulate1623

deturpate1623

berust1631

smutch1640

discolorate1651

smoot1683

tarnish1695

tar1817

dirten1987

society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > degrade or impair morally [verb (reflexive)] > pollute or defile

spota1413

a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) iv. l. 1578 Þenketh on myn honeste..with what filþe it spotted sholde be If in þis forme I sholde with yow wende.

?c1425 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Royal 17 D.vi) (1860) 135 His disciples loved so clennesse..her eyen out of her hedes they brent, Lest the sight of hem myght spotte her entent.

a1500 tr. Thomas à Kempis De Imitatione Christi (Trin. Dublin) (1893) 3 For þei þat folowiþ her sensualite spotteþ her conscience & lesiþ þe grace of god.

1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. viij^v Neither to suffer so greate an euill to spot and blemishe that noble house of Saxonie.

1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. I. ii. iii. sig. H.viij^v/2 If..we doe spot our selues with a filthy and vncleane life.

1605 E. Sandys Relation State of Relig. sig. B3^v Some,..not content to spot themselues with al Italian impurity, proceed on to impoyson their Country also.

1618 R. Sybthorpe Counter-plea Apostataes Pardon 16 Hee that shall be disobedient vnto these spirituall Fathers, he will not sticke to spot himselfe with any impiety.

a1625 J. Fletcher Rule a Wife (1640) v. 64 You rob too Templens,..You ruine hirs, and spot hir noble husbands.

1670 J. Dryden Tyrannick Love v. i. 59 Be all the discords of our Bed forgot, Which, Virtue witness, I did never spot.

1734 J. Forrester Polite Philosopher 20 Just Sense shou'd teach us to revere the Dame; Nor, by imprudent Jests, to spot her Fame.

1754 S. Johnson Adventurer No. 131. 364 These peculiarities, however, are always found to spot a character though they may not totally obscure it.

1855 J. L. Motley Rise Dutch Republic I. i. iii. 219 Who might be spotted merely with the errors introduced by Luther.

1858 H. Bushnell Nature & Supernatural xv. 498 He..spots with blemish the religion that already has a right to his faith.

1910 Mansfield (Ohio) News 28 Feb. 5/5 As long as there is..a soul spotted by sin..just so long is there a Christ for Mansfield.

2014 Frontier Post (Pakistan) (Nexis) 3 Apr. It [sc. the Indian Navy] has spotted its reputation and its competency too has become the talk of the town.

†b. transitive. To defame, cast aspersions on, vilify. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > stain or sully [verb (transitive)]

filea1325

foulc1330

tache1390

dark?c1400

distain1406

smita1413

blemish1414

black?c1425

defoul1470

maculate?a1475

macule1484

tan1530

staina1535

spota1542

smear1549

blot1566

besmear1579

defile1581

attaint1590

soila1596

slubber1599

tack1601

woad1603

besmirch1604

blur1604

to breathe upon ——1608

be-smut1610

clouda1616

sullya1616

taint1623

smutch1640

blackena1649

to cast, put, throw (etc.) a slur on or upon (a person or thing)1654

beslur1675

tarnish1695

blackwash1762

carbonify1792

smirch1820

tattoo1884

dirten1987

a1542 T. Wyatt Coll. Poems (1969) cclxvi. 12 Mystrust me not though some there be That fayne would spot my stedfastnes.

1623 H. Hexham Tongue-combat 9 Those of the Reformed Religion whom..you spot with three or foure crimes.

1652 W. Brough Preservative against Schisme in Sacred Princ. 26 St. Jude spots them thus; There They feed themselves without feare.

1671 W. Penn Truth Rescued ii. 15 I do not mention it to spot that Doctor.

†c. intransitive. To mar or sully something. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > pollute or defile [verb (transitive)]

afileeOE

besmiteeOE

shenda950

befilec1000

bisulienc1200

defoulc1320

file1340

foilc1380

smota1387

lime1390

solwea1400

surda1400

infectc1425

filtha1450

poison?a1513

defile1530

polluve1533

inquinate1542

pollute1548

contaminate1563

bumfiddlec1595

impure1598

conspurcate1600

defoil1601

sullya1616

vilify1615

deturpate1623

impiate1623

defedate1628

dreg1628

contemerate1650

spot1741

empoison1775

1741 Gentleman's Mag. Sept. 491/1 Sure of all plagues with which dull prose Is curst, Scandals from false historians spot the worst.

2. transitive. To mark, stain, or soil (a physical object) with spots of something.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > soil [verb (transitive)] > spot

bemole1362

bespotc1374

spot1440

mail1677

sye1855

Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 470 Spotton, maculo.

a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) f. 72^v Ȝe ben worthi..to been blotted and spotted & fouled & defouled wiþ fen and wiþ dirt of water.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 729 Who hath spotted your shyrte sleve with ynke?

1549 H. Latimer 2nd Serm. before Kynges Maiestie 5th Serm. sig. Rvi^v He y^t medleth w^t pitche is like to be spotted w^t it.

1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique iii. xxxvi. 502 It spotteth and staineth the linnen so mightily, as that such staines will neuer be got out.

1763 J. Mills New Syst. Pract. Husbandry II. 415 Two..kinds of mildew, one of which spots the blades and stems of corn.

1798 S. T. Coleridge France in Fears & Solitude 16 Ye, that fleeing spot the mountain snows With bleeding wounds.

1831 W. Scott Count Robert vi, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. II. 144 The blood which we have shed may spot our hand,..but it shall scarce stain our forehead.

1893 Good Govt. June 156/1 He had his mouth full of the well-known Virginia weed, the stains of which spotted his coat and vest.

1923 Creston (Iowa) Daily Advertiser 26 Jan. 7 The place where the blood spots the ground outside the Stewart gate.

1966 R. E. Mates Photographing Art iii. 58 The fountain pen was in the hand he gestured with and the ink spotted the gallery wall as well as the painting.

2012 Daily News (N.Y.) (Nexis) 9 Dec. 14 She pointed to black mold spotting the wall next to windows.

3. intransitive. To be subject or liable to the formation of marks or spots, to form spots of discoloration; to become marred or spoilt by spots.Cf. sense 7.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > be spotted [verb (intransitive)]

bestained1559

spot1791

the mind > attention and judgement > lack of beauty > disfigurement > disfigure [verb (transitive)] > impair the beauty of > spot

befleck1567

spot1791

pock1841

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > become soiled [verb (intransitive)] > become spotted

spot1791

1791 World 28 Mar. Venetian Brown Urns, That will not Spot, or need Cleaning.

1816 T. Packer Dyer's Guide viii. 119 It [sc. green] is with difficulty produced on silk, because the blue vat is liable to spot and give a party colour.

1838 Southern Agriculturist Sept. 504 Continue to earth up your celery,..taking care that none of the earth falls into and among the leaves, which would cause them to spot.

1879 Warehousemen & Drapers' Trade Jrnl. 13 Dec. 594 Even those [gloves] which have been so treated continue to ‘spot’.

1882 Garden 11 Mar. 168/2 A damp, cool atmosphere, with little artificial heat, causes the flowers to spot.

1922 Sat. Evening Post 10 June 65 (advt.) These stains are absolutely waterproof—nothing will cause them to spot, fade or turn white.

1972 Amer. Archivist 35 No. 3/4. (end matter) (advt.) The Kalvar image is one of the most permanent of all photographic media. It doesn't fade, spot, or discolor with age.

2006 L. T. Griepentrog & R. K. Brent Machine Embroidery Wild & Wacky 78/2 Be cautious about using water-activated adhesives, since the damp stabilizer could cause the paper dye to spot or fade.

4. transitive. Chiefly Photography. To free from spots or small defects; to remove or efface (small marks). Also with out.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > cleaning of stains or marks > clean stains or marks (from) [verb (transitive)]

to take out of ——1573

unspot1598

unscore1621

unstain1639

spot1869

the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > efface, obliterate [verb (transitive)] > by rubbing > mark, stain, etc.

laga1300

to take out1560

emaculatea1648

spot1915

1869 Illustr. Photographer 31 Dec. 588/2 All the prints have to be spotted out the same as ordinary photographs.

1885 C. G. W. Lock Workshop Receipts 4th Ser. 382/2 After the prints are mounted, dried, and spotted out, roll them upon a hot steel plate.

1896 Kodak News Sept. 87/1 Any little holes or scratches..should be carefully spotted out with a fine sable brush and stiff water colour.

1915 B. E. Jones Cinematogr. Bk. 176 Having cleaned and spotted the film, attention may be given to any torn portions or broken perforations.

1937 Discovery Feb. p. xiv/1 This book [sc. J. Deschin New Ways in Photography]..contains many suggestions and practical methods for getting better results in..spotting prints.

1979 Amateur Photographer 7 Feb. 4 (advt.) A custom hand print, cropped, hand printed, spotted, dry mounted and heat sealed.

2012 U.S. Patent 127,204 11/1 Any remaining spot cleanup can then be done to fix shadow details or spot out dirt.

II. To make or become spotted, and related senses.

a. transitive. To mark, cover, or decorate with spots; to speckle.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > spot [verb (transitive)]

ver?a1400

degout1423

spot?c1425

drop1548

polka dot1900

?c1425 Recipe in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (Arun. 334) (1790) 469 (MED) Take turnesole diped in vine and wringe oute the colour, and with a feder sprinke and spot the congour, but colour hit not altogeder.

1591 R. Greene Second Pt. Conny-catching sig. A^v They will straight spotte him by sundry pollicies, and in a blacke horse, marke saddle spots.

1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. ii. sig. Sss/1 To spot Gawze-Hoods, broder des Coifes de Gaze.

1713 E. Budgell in Guardian 23 Mar. 2/1 Sometimes I take a Needle, and spot a Piece of Muslin for pretty Patty Cross-stitch.

1720 London Gaz. No. 5914/1 If any Person..shall file, square, or new spot any Dice.

1818 H. Parry Art of Bookbinding 51 This colour is for spotting the edges.

1864 Athenæum 24 Dec. 854/2 He spots the other spear-bearers [with blood] in a similar manner, and the tray is then taken by another man, who spots the sultan.

1885 D. Glasgow Watch & Clock Making ix. 118 The art of spotting such small pieces by hand is not easily acquired.

1921 Industrial-arts Mag. Mar. 92 This trick of starring or spotting the surface to be decorated..is really hinted at..in the word ‘chintz’ itself.

1997 N.Y. Times 4 July b3 (advt.) A team of face painters, ready to spot you and stripe you like your favorite wild animal.

2009 D. Adams FairyArt 111 Spot the arcs with dots of white gesso.

b. transitive. To apply beauty spots or patches to (one's face) for the purpose of adornment or to cover blemishes. Also reflexive: to apply beauty spots to one's face. Now rare (historical in later use).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the face > beautify (the face) [verb (transitive)] > adorn the face with ornamental spots or patches

patch1650

spot1653

1653 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis (rev. ed.) xv. 261 Our Ladies here have lately entertained a vaine Custome of spotting their Faces, out of an affectation of a Mole to setoff [sic] their beauty.

1666 M. Mead Solomon's Prescript. 82 Go, Gallants, get to your Glass; Powder and Curle, Paint and Spot, Deck and Adorn you, as you were wont.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 81. ¶1 The Faces on one Hand, being spotted on the Right Side of the Forehead, and that upon the other on the Left.

1735 T. Salmon Mod. Hist. XXVII. iv. 56 The Women spot their faces with a red Earth or Stone (as ours do with black Patches) which is thought to add to their Beauty, by the Natives.

1858 W. F. Collier Hist. Brit. Empire 286 A curious custom was that of spotting the face over with patches of black plaster.

1864 W. F. Collier Hist. Eng. iii. viii. 461 When the Whig and Tory fight was raging hotly and the ladies took sides in these political questions, the manner of spotting the face came to betoken a certain sort of party-feeling.

1940 K. M. Lester & B. V. Oerke Accessories of Dress v. 99 In England as early as 1665, women were spotting their faces in affectation of a mole.

c. transitive. U.S. (originally colonial). To mark (a tree) by cutting a chip in its trunk, esp. in order to indicate that it is to be felled. Also: to indicate (a path or boundary) by such marks. Cf. blaze v.³

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > forestry or arboriculture > [verb (transitive)] > mark tree

ring1690

spot1740

blaze1750

1740 in H. H. Metcalf & O. G. Hammond Probate Rec. New Hampsh. (1914) II. 58 One of the Said Lotts..Runs South Easterly..to a Beach tree Spotted and Numbered three.

1792 J. Belknap Hist. New-Hampsh. III. 75 Where they find the land suitable for a road, the trees are spotted by cutting out a piece of the bark.

1851 J. S. Springer Forest Life & Forest Trees ii. iii. 84 An experienced hand..‘spots’ the trees where he wishes the road to be ‘swamped’.

1860 Harper's Mag. Feb. 300/1 We had struck the line which our friends had spotted as they past along.

1929 Simpsons' Daily Leader-Times (Ford City, Pa.) 4 Dec. 1/1 He spotted the tree but only cut it recently.

1947 Hattiesburg (Mississippi) Amer. 24 Jan. 3/4 If you plan to move a dogwood tree, you should spot the tree a year early and chop around its roots.

2012 News Let. Jrnl. (Newcastle, Wyoming) (Nexis) 24 May Hale hired a crew to spot trees, the green hit ones—the ones currently infested.

d. transitive. To moisten with a drop of liquid; to place a drop of (liquid) on (to) a surface, etc.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > make wet [verb (transitive)] > with drops

dripec1000

bedewc1374

bedrop1393

spot1854

1854 R. D. Thomson Cycl. Chem. 162/1 The peroxidation of the solution is judged of by..spotting it on blotting paper, and then adding a drop of a solution of red prussiate of potash.

1954 R. E. Oesper tr. F. Feigl Spot Tests (ed. 3) II. iv. 158 The moist reagent paper is spotted with the test solution.

1972 Sci. Amer. June 34 (caption) The mixture is spotted at one corner (X) of a square of filter paper; the fragments are separated by chromatography in one direction and by electrophoresis in another.

1977 Lancet 26 Nov. 1140/2 Blood is spotted on to filterpaper.

1978 Nature 9 Feb. 577/2 Even concentrated lysates did not result in killing or lysogenisation when spotted on a lawn of Mu-sensitive bacteria.

2004 J. W. Lehman Student's Lab Compan. 110 Mark the starting line on a TLC plate and spot it with..the solution(s) to be analyzed.

e. transitive. Of a woman: to discharge a small amount of (blood) on to underclothes, sanitary pads, etc., typically between menstrual periods, as a result of slight bleeding from the uterus, often as a result of the use of oral or implanted contraceptives. Also intransitive. Cf. spotting n. 8.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > discharge or flux > discharge [verb (intransitive)] > bleed > from uterus

flood1771

spot1894

1894 Internat. Clinics 4th Ser. 2 273 She flowed every four weeks for four days, until four months ago, since which time she has been ‘spotting’ irregularly.

1918 Med. Rec. 26 Oct. 743/2 About two weeks previous to her admission to the hospital she began spotting.

1970 Beatrice (Nebraska) Daily Sun 9 July 6 I am a mother, 21. Over a year ago I started spotting blood.

1998 D. C. Aguiuera Crisis Intervention (ed. 8) vii. 133 She got up and went to the bathroom and discovered that she was spotting blood.

2010 N. S. Berry Unsafe Motherhood (2013) vi. 178 Constancia, who was eight months pregnant had arrived to the health post on a Friday to seek treatment because she was spotting blood.

a. transitive. Of a number of things: to be scattered across (an area or surface); to stud. Also of a single thing: to form, or appear as, a mark or feature upon (a surface).

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > spot [verb (transitive)] > appear as spots on

spot1801

1801 R. Southey Thalaba I. i. 7 No palm-tree rose to spot the wilderness.

1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna ix. iii. 194 Many ships spotting the dark blue deep.

1822 J. M. Good Study Med. IV. 552 Pimples very minute..chiefly spotting the limbs.

1892 ‘M. Field’ Sight & Song 22 Pinks and gentians spot her robe.

1920 Condor 22 70 The dark forms of Ducks spotted the surface the lake.

1973 H. M. Hyman More Perfect Union xix. 340 Antivice organizations spotted the map.

2009 T. Fenske While you Quit vii. 179 He pointed to the raised grey and yellow bumps spotting the surface of the diseased vessel.

b. intransitive. Usually with non-referential it as subject: to rain in large, scattered drops, esp. before a shower or storm. Frequently in to spot with rain.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > precipitation or atmospheric moisture > rain > rain falls [verb (intransitive)] > fall in scattered drops > large

spot1841

platch1853

1841 C. H. Hartshorne Salopia Antiqua Gloss. 575 Spot, to commence raining. Ex. ‘It spots o' rain.’

1862 Meliora 4 372 It is spotting with rain, my dear.

1899 Man of World 18 Apr. 6/3 The morning was bitterly cold and spotting with rain.

1909 Westm. Gaz. 21 Aug. 2/2 It began to spot with rain.

1931 M. de la Roche Finch's Fortune viii. 131 ‘Is it raining?’ asked Augusta. ‘Just beginning to spot,’ replied Mrs. Court.

1980 N. Freeling Castang's City i. 7 As night fell, it began spotting again with rain.

2011 P. Robinson Before Poison ix. 155 It was spotting with rain as we drove through narrow streets past the Romanesque buildings.

7. intransitive. Of a tobacco plant or leaf: to become speckled or marked with spots. rare.Without the negative connotations of sense 3.

ΚΠ

1850 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Patents 1849: Agric. 456 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (31st Congr., 1st Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc. 20, Pt. 2) VI These varieties spot better, and produce a finer leaf than any I have ever seen... These spots it is that gives character to the tobacco.

1953 A. P. Middleton Tobacco Coast iv. 100 When the leaves began to spot, thicken, and discolor, the plants were cut off at the base by means of a special tobacco knife and left in the fields to wilt.

8. transitive. New Zealand. To select and purchase (the choicest parts of an area of land) in order to make the remainder unattractive for purchase by others. Frequently in to spot one's run: see run n.² 13. Cf. gridironing n. at gridiron v. Derivatives. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > furnishing with inhabitants > colonizing > colonize (a place) [verb (transitive)] > select place to colonize

spot1856

the mind > possession > taking > taking possession > take possession of [verb (transitive)] > take (land) into occupation > in specific way

spot1856

1856 E. M. Curr Waste Lands Province Wellington 30 The practice of which I speak is called in New Zealand ‘spotting’ or ‘spoiling’ country.

1864 E. Muter Trav. & Adventures Officer's Wife II. xiii. 260 ‘Cockatoos’, as the station-owners call the other [class of land-purchasers], who ‘spotted’ his run all over with fifty and one hundred acre sections.

1871 N.Z. Parl. Deb. 10 685/2 He..confessed, though with some shame, to have formerly helped a man to spot his run, and to pick out the best pieces of country.

1938 R. M. Burdon High Country 123 Much buying was done in self-defence; for if men did not ‘spot’ their own runs, speculators would do it for them.

1948 L. Lipson Politics of Equality 59 If he wished to gain control over a large area without purchasing all of it, he could pick out or ‘spot’ the best sections, buying only these and leaving the inferior portions which were valueless without adjacent good land.

III. To identify, notice, or note, and related senses.

9. transitive (chiefly in passive). Originally cant. To recognize or identify as a criminal or as a person acting suspiciously. Cf. make v.¹ 52f. Now rare except as merged in sense 10.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > testing > accusation, charge > accuse [verb (transitive)] > involve, implicate

inculp1612

involve1655

spot1718

implicate1797

inculpate1840

rib1926

society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > break the law [verb (transitive)] > mark as criminal or suspect

spot1718

to be known to the police1804

1718 Full Acct. Tryal I. Rabbins, R. Bartlet, J. Chilcot & J. Cooksley 1/2 Isaac, You have been spotted before, How came you to go so far from your own Home now?

1807 Narr. Life H. Tufts iii. iv. 316/2 You're spotted..you are like to be found out.

1871 Galaxy Feb. 193 He knew all the shoplifters and pickpockets, and thus was able to ‘spot’ any of them the moment they entered the shop.

1933 R. Chandler in Black Mask Dec. 13/2 We got you spotted. You were tryin' to peddle some phoney letters.

10. transitive. Originally slang. To catch sight of (something); to mark or note; to recognize or detect. Now the most common sense.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > attention > notice, observation > observe, note [verb (transitive)]

markc1175

note?c1225

heedc1275

apperceivec1300

spyc1380

notec1390

notac1392

registera1393

considerc1400

notifya1425

animadvert?a1475

mind1490

adnote1558

observe1560

quote1560

remark1581

to take note1600

apprehenda1634

to take cognizance of1635

animadverse1642

notice1660

to pass in review1697

smoke1716

cognize1821

spot1848

looky1900

the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > find out, discover [verb (transitive)] > by perception or observation

seeOE

wita1300

descrivec1300

descrya1450

spyc1515

to see into ——1565

scerne1590

guard1636

discreevec1650

spot1848

embrace1852

sniff1864

the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > succeed in seeing or catch sight of

underyetec1000

aspya1250

kenc1275

ofyetec1275

choosea1300

akenc1300

descrivec1300

ofkenc1300

readc1300

espyc1320

descryc1330

spyc1380

discernc1405

discover1553

scan1558

scry1558

decern1559

describe1574

to make out1575

escry1581

interview1587

display1590

to set sight of (in)c1595

sight1602

discreevec1650

glance1656

to catch a glimpse of1679

steal1731

oversee1735

glimpse1779

twig1796

to clap eyes on1838

spot1848

sky1900

the world > action or operation > endeavour > searching or seeking > finding or discovery > find or discover [verb (transitive)] > detect > detect (in) an imposture

to see through ——a1450

to find out1545

detect1581

spot1880

tumble1901

rumble1912

1848 ‘N. Buntline’ Mysteries & Miseries N.Y. iv. vi. 49 He spot me, and stop my speculacione—an' it is not ze first time he 'ave done so!

1849 G. G. Foster N.Y. in Slices 15 The expertness acquired by the keepers of these shops in ‘spotting’ their man is truly wonderful.

1861 O. W. Holmes Elsie Venner xxi. 230 The inside Widow having ‘spotted’ the outside one through the blinds.

1868 M. E. Braddon Run to Earth I. i. 17 I saw the landlord spot the notes and gold.

1880 J. Payn Confidential Agent II. 271 Honest John had known him to be a policeman—‘spotted him’, as he had expressed it—at the first glance.

1929 A. M. Lindbergh Let. 5 Oct. in Hour of Gold (1973) 101 We fly over mesas and spot ruins and photograph them.

1940 Life 17 June 88/2 He could spot the difference between dive bombers and any other.

1954 J. Thompson Hell of Woman (1956) xvi. 120 Somehow he'd spotted that I was a little uneasy.

1978 G. Greene Human Factor ii. iii. 84 It doesn't seem very clever if one can spot the dodge so easily.

1989 Sunday Times (Nexis) 25 June Spotting a full-grown male lion, 450lb in weight and nine feet from nose to tail tip, may sound easy enough.

2013 Bon Appétit Mar. 18/2 And if you come to our place, it's easy to spot what we've nicked.

11. transitive. Horse Racing. To correctly predict (the winning horse); to identify (a horse that is likely to win). In later use often merely as a contextual use of sense 10.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > ride horse in race [verb (transitive)] > guess winner

spot1855

fancy1922

1855 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Sept. 372/1 Rogers..whose extraordinary success in spotting the winners of the great races, has for the last seven years completely astonished the knowing ones.

1866 G. A. Lawrence Sans Merci II. xix. 251 It was quite a sight to see those two, conning over the handicaps, and ‘spotting’ probable ‘good things’.

1888 E. J. Goodman Too Curious xi. 130 I spotted a few winners.

1922 Daily Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 25 July 3/4 Opinion is so much divided that to spot the winner and back him from now would mean a comfortable sum in pocket.

1987 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 20 Mar. It should not be too long before he's back spotting winners at the metropolitan tracks.

2013 Central Queensland News (Nexis) 5 July 39 Big fields can make it tricky to spot winners but there looks to be a couple of ‘good things’.

†12. transitive. slang. To inform on (a person). Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > communication > information > informing on or against > inform on or against [verb (transitive)]

wrayc725

meldeOE

bimeldena1300

forgabc1394

to blow up?a1400

outsay?a1400

detectc1449

denounce1485

ascry1523

inform1526

promote1550

peach1570

blow1575

impeach1617

wheedle1710

split1795

snitch1801

cheep1831

squeal1846

to put away1858

spot1864

report1869

squawk1872

nose1875

finger1877

ruck1884

to turn over1890

to gag on1891

shop1895

pool1907

run1909

peep1911

pot1911

copper1923

finger1929

rat1932

to blow the whistle on1934

grass1936

rat1969

to put in1975

turn1977

1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. i. xii. 121 This man had ‘spotted’ the other, to save himself and get the money.

13. Military.

a. intransitive. To determine the position of an enemy target so as to allow a gunner to direct his or her fire; to act as a spotter (spotter n. 4) for a gunner, etc. Also: be on the lookout for an enemy target (cf. sense 13b).

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > military operations > [verb (intransitive)] > reconnoitre

akenc1400

scurry1580

reknowledge1582

reconnoitre1777

observe1799

spot1892

recce1943

shufti1943

recon1966

1892 R. L. Stevenson Footnote to Hist. vii. 179 Balls flew; either faction,..spotting for the other in chance shots, and missing.

1915 D. O. Barnett Let. 23 Jan. in In Happy Memory 51 I had a man with a periscope spotting for me, and he registered some near things for the Bosch's face.

1916 ‘B. Cable’ Action Front 135 ‘Stand by for trouble. That brute is spotting for his gun.’ The aeroplane dropped a light, turned, and circled round to the left.

1918 C. Bright Telegr., Aeronaut. & War 51 While he is spotting he is continually subjected to tremendous shelling.

1942 Hutchinson's Pict. Hist. War 18 Mar. 62 (caption) Men of a Cypriot company..spotting for enemy aircraft.

1950 Manch. Guardian 17 July 8 An Army L-17 plane spotted for the ships as they fired at visually sighted enemy observation posts.

1973 R. Dentry Encounter at Kharmel ix. 152 I'll come in low. You spot. I'll be busy.

2010 B. B. Tomblin in G. K. Piehler & S. Pash U.S. & Second World War vi. 150 Enemy fighters harassed the catapult aircraft spotting for the gunfire support ships.

b. transitive. To be on the lookout for (an enemy target or position); to identify (an enemy target or position).

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > military operations > [verb (transitive)] > reconnoitre (a place) > the enemy or his position

discover1487

recognize1637

recognosce1637

reconnoitre1705

unmask1733

to feel for ——?1795

observe1853

spot1914

1914 Aeroplane 11 Nov. 425/2 He poised..for a spell to spot the lurking place of the battery.

1915 H. Rosher In Royal Naval Air Service (1916) 109 I wasn't going back on the chance of spotting the sheds, with anti-aircraft guns waiting for me below.

1975 Charleston (W. Va.) Daily Mail 24 Mar. a5 Gwin told me once about spotting the enemy for our artillery.

2012 P. Bradley Hell's Battlefield xix. 352 Its men had a strange war, spotting enemy positions and directing artillery fire.

14. transitive. To be the first to identify (a person) as having particular talent or potential as an actor, sportsperson, model, etc.

ΚΠ

1899 Eng. Illustr. Mag. July 388/2 She..was spotted by Mr. Lederer, who selected her to play the heroine in ‘The Belle’. The rest belongs to history.

1938 Life 6 June 36 (caption) She was an $18-a-week manicurist..in a Los Angeles barbershop a year ago when a 20th Century-Fox director..spotted her.

1973 Sun 25 May 3 She started her modelling career when a fashion photographer spotted her on a beach near Rimini.

1999 K. Tibbs & B. L. Peterson They don't wanna Wait 14 A Los Angeles talent agent spotted her and convinced her parents..to let him represent her.

2010 LFC Weekly 30 Mar. 10/1 Kelly was spotted by Liverpool at an Alan Kennedy soccer camp during the school holidays.

15. transitive. British. To observe and note the details of (a certain class of objects) as a hobby. See also trainspot v.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > hobby > spotting trains, watching birds, etc. > spot trains, watch birds, etc. [verb (transitive)]

spot1913

grice1971

twitch1977

1913 Observer 28 Dec. 10/2 The British Bird Book is probably the best book that has yet appeared to help you in the exciting game of ‘spotting’ birds.

1957 Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Nov. 675/2 As other boys spot railway engines, Alan Villiers as a child in Melbourne spotted and studied the big sailing ships lying at anchor in Port Phillip bay.

2002 C. Winger & D. Winger Highpoint Adventures 32/1 Try your hand at spotting birds from 6:00 PM Friday to 6:00 PM Saturday night, and then compare notes around a community campfire.

2014 Leek (Staffs.) Post & Times (Nexis) 2 Apr. 11 A monthly excursion to spot trains will take place this weekend.

16. transitive. In gymnastics, trampolining, weightlifting, etc.: to be stationed so as to provide safety assistance for (a person engaged in an activity); to assist in the performance of (an activity) in this capacity. Also intransitive. Cf. spotter n. 6.

ΚΠ

1934 J. H. McCulloch Gymnastics, Tumbling & Pyramids 23 Each individual should ‘spot’ or act as safety for the succeeding individual.

1948 F. P. Nobbe Tentative Man. for Parallel Bar Perfomers (M.S. thesis, Univ. of S. Calif.) iv. 16 In spotting vaults and dismounts the spotter should stand on the side of the apparatus toward which the performer is apt to fall.

1964 Holland (Mich.) Evening Sentinel 7 July 11/2 (caption) Judy Schutt is in the center doing a walk over while Peg De Witt (hidden) is spotting.

1994 Harper's Mag. Apr. 39/1 They were the ones who lifted me into the air, who spotted me in gymnastics, upon whose shoulders I had to stand to form the obligatory pyramid.

2001 B. Weeks Curling for Dummies xv. 228 Bench press: It's a good idea to have someone spot you when you do these.

2007 S. Coffman Successful Programs for Fitness & Health Clubs iv. 52/1 If you are a women-only club,..use pictures of women working out with free weights and spotting one another.

IV. Senses relating to placement.

17. transitive. To place (a billiard ball, a snooker ball, etc.) on a particular spot, esp. the designated starting spot.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [verb (transitive)] > play (the ball) in specific way

hazard1674

string1680

miss1746

pocket1756

hole1803

spot1844

nurse1850

draw1860

pot1860

hold1869

dribble1873

fluke1881

scratch1909

1844 E. R. Mardon Billiards 99 Missing the balls, the player must spot a ball.

1873 J. Bennett & ‘Cavendish’ Billiards 139 Spot the white just behind the left-hand corner of the D.

1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 258 If they play billiards, they let their adversary spot the red and take the balls out of the pockets.

1938 Evening Telegr. & Post (Dundee) 10 Dec. 2/5 On very many tables there is a hollow in the spot..which has been caused by some players spotting the red with a bit of a bang.

1988 I. Morrison Billiards & Snooker 13/2 After a foul in billiards the non-offending player has the choice of playing from where the balls come to rest or having them spotted and playing from ‘in-hand’.

1991 L. Orde By Blood Divided x. 173 Jimmy slapped the rack around the fifteen red balls, spotted the black, pink, and blue.

2003 Calgary (Alberta) Herald (Nexis) 6 Apr. c1 The player's opponent may then spot the ball anywhere on the table.

18. transitive. U.S. slang. To shoot (a person); to kill (a person). Cf. on the spot adv. and adj. Phrases 2a. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > fire (a gun) [verb (transitive)] > shoot (a person or thing)

shoot1617

to bird off1688

to knock downa1744

to pick off1745

pop1762

drill1808

plug1833

perforate1838

slap1842

stop1845

pot1860

spot1882

plunk1888

pip1900

souvenir1915

poop1917

spray1922

smoke1926

zap1942

crack1943

pot-shoot1969

1882 B. Harte Flip ii. 32 It's an even thing if she wouldn't spot me the first pop [i.e. with a pistol].

1926 H. W. Odum & G. B. Johnson Negro Workaday Songs viii. 150 Han' on my gun, Finger on de trigger, I's goin' to jail 'Cause I's done spot my nigger.

1934 B. Appel Brain Guy xxiii. 341 Holy Christ, McMann spotted. Tough... They considered the fact of Duffy and McMann wiped out in so short a space, right after one another. Who was left?

1939 R. Chandler Big Sleep xiv. 96 At a dollar a rental you take one hundred and twenty-five grand..that's enough to spot a guy for.

19. North American.

a. transitive. To place (a railway car) in a specific place, esp. one that is suitable for loading or unloading.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > rail travel > [verb (transitive)] > leave the rails

jump1883

spot1891

skip1903

the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)] > situate

setc950

markc1400

situate?a1425

site?c1425

plant1558

seat1603

emplacea1627

position1817

to set down1827

spot1891

1891 Switchmen's Jrnl. Apr. 728/2 Our worthy master, C. H. Rice, is still spotting cars for the freight hustlers.

1894 Railway World 10 Feb. 112/1 ‘Spotting’ cars is placing them in position to be loaded.

1901 Bedford (Indiana) Weekly Mail 8 Feb. Seventy-five cars of ice a day are now being harvested at Cedar Lake. The Monon has a train there engaged in ‘spotting the cars’.

1936 B. Brooker Think of Earth i. iii. 38 It was a wilderness of rusting steel and rotten ties where old dump-cars were ‘spotted’ for repairs.

1956 T. H. Raddall Wings of Night xii. 106 You might phone the railway people and tell 'em to spot four or five boxcars on the Hall's Creek siding not later than Tuesday.

2005 Jrnl. Commerce (Nexis) 2 Sept. The port's Terminal Railway is spotting railcars at general cargo terminals for loading operations.

b. transitive. To place (something) in a particular location. Cf. sense 6a. Now somewhat rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)]

doeOE

layc950

seta1000

puta1225

dight1297

pilt?a1300

stow1362

stick1372

bestowc1374

affichea1382

posec1385

couchc1386

dressa1387

assize1393

yarkc1400

sita1425

place1442

colloque1490

siegea1500

stake1513

win1515

plat1529

collocate1548

campc1550

posit1645

posture1645

constitute1652

impose1681

sist1852

shove1902

spot1937

1937 Liberty 25 Dec. 20/1 Already strategically spotted throughout..our population are sergeants and lieutenants and chiefs of police of the new ‘supertrained’ school.

1947 Sun (Baltimore) 13 May 6/3 Passengers would walk..under cover to their planes spotted alongside the pier.

1948 Life 6 Sept. 59/1 Foresight and planning have spotted them [sc. Madison's parks] throughout the city instead of concentrating all park land in one place.

1970 J. H. Gray Boy from Winnipeg 55 The rest of us spotted our lunch kits, towels, and swimming things at a convenient table.

1979 Arizona Daily Star 22 July i. 6/4 If you're playing a Nevada audience, you can't give them all new stuff, and you have to be careful how you spot it.

20. intransitive. Basketball. to spot up: (of an offensive player) to take up a position, typically at some distance from the basket, that is suitable for taking a jump shot immediately upon receiving the ball. Cf. spot-up n.

ΚΠ

1975 Scholastic Coach Nov. 19/1 3 has a shot or he can pass to #5... If #3 decides to do neither, he must look to #1 ‘spotting up’ on the weak side.

1988 Assoc. Press (Nexis) 14 Jan. Danny and I spot up and if the shot's there were [sic] taking it.

1992 Boston Globe 1 Aug. 40/3 The USA depth simply overwhelmed the Brazilians, who watched helplessly as Pippen soared in for dunks or Chris Jullin..spotted up for threes and long twos.

2011 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 9 Jan. (Sports section) 5/3 Phoenix switched to a zone in the second half, allowing the Knicks' 3-point shooters to spot up.

V. transitive with direct and indirect object. To give, grant, and related senses.

21.

a. U.S. Sport colloquial. To grant or provide (an advantage or handicap) to (an opponent), esp. so as to make a contest more even. [Perhaps showing a specific semantic development from sense 17; in some versions of billiards, a handicapped player must re-spot a ball which has been legally potted.]

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > winning, losing, or scoring > win, lose, or score [verb (transitive)] > concede lead or advantage to

spot1896

1896 G. Ade Artie 31 Artie was the better player and usually had to ‘spot’ three [billiard balls].

1934 J. T. Farrell Young Manhood Studs Lonigan x. 163 We'll play fifty straight pool, and I'll spot you ten.

1939 Sun (Baltimore) 21 June 14/2 No fighter can spot Mr. Joe Louis his entire offensive program and hope to wrest the world's championship from him.

1972 Newsweek 31 July 42/3 After arrogantly spotting Spassky a two-game lead, Fischer had proceeded to catch up to his opponent.

1985 Los Angeles Times 14 July iii. 6/2 The Dodgers,..could have spotted the Cubs an extra out for nine innings, and it wouldn't have mattered.

2014 Mt. Airy (N. Carolina) News (Nexis) 12 Dec. The forfeits spotted the opponents 24 points right off the bat.

b. In non-sporting contexts: to grant (an advantage) to (a person) so as provide him or her with a greater chance of succeeding.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial to [verb (transitive)] > provide with advantages

spot1930

featherbed1949

1930 Sat. Evening Post 3 May 210/3 ‘Going to leave that stuff here?’ ‘No, I'll take it.’ Again Manning laughed. ‘Spotting me a pack on your back, eh?’

1935 J. T. Farrell Judgment Day i. iv. v. 93 Your old man could spot both of you a good-sized pint and still watch you pass out.

1982 G. V. Higgins Patriot Game viii. 57 This is a guy that couldn't spell cat unless you spotted him the c and the a.

1992 N.Y. Times 9 June a24/6 In the present political environment, he said, ‘with women the embodiment of outsiderism’, men ‘are spotting them 10 points before the campaigns even get off the ground’.

22. North American slang. To give or lend (an amount of money) to (a person).

ΚΠ

1921 Lexington (Kentucky) Herald 28 Nov. 3/4 Joe's brother spotted him a dollar bill every time he knocked a home run last season.

1972 D. J. Schleich No Sweet Land (M.A. thesis, Univ. of Alberta) vi. 39 Christ Giffen; spot me a fin at least... I need the cash.

1990 Manhattan, Inc. June 65/1 Eddie, I know you're short on cash. Come and pick me up from work..and I'll spot you $300.

1994 Sunday Star (Toronto) 20 Nov. a6 I go into a roadside restaurant and say ‘Can I wash dishes?’ Most places say yes, and then spot me a few bucks.

2008 S. De La Pava Naked Singularity ix. 255 What if I asked one of the many people bouncing about to spot me a couple of bucks?

Phrases

P1. spot the ball: (the name of) a type of game or competition, the object of which is to correctly guess and mark the position of a ball on a photograph of a sports match (often a football match) from which the ball has been removed; also attributive, esp. in spot the ball competition.

ΚΠ

1930 Washington Post 27 July (Sports section) m17/3 (heading) ‘Spot the Ball’—a new game calling on luck and skill; test your judgement and win 4 seats to Nats' contests.

1969 Times 19 Sept. 3/4 ‘Spot the ball’ competitions..appear weekly in some 250 British publications.

1992 G. Whannel in D. Strinati & S. Wagg Come on Down? (1995) vii. 181 Games like Spot the Ball grew alongside the football pools in the 1930s.

2011 Private Eye 23 Dec. 8/3 Both series become tedious exercises in ironic hindsight, rather like looking at the solution photo in a Spot the Ball contest before looking at the one that asks you to put in the X.

P2. spot the difference: (the name of) a type of puzzle, the object of which is to identify a specified number of differences between two almost identical images (chiefly attributive); also used allusively and humorously to imply that two ostensibly different people or things are actually virtually interchangeable.

ΚΠ

1968 Photogr. Jrnl. Apr. 102/1 We have found that most people who attempt ‘spot the difference’ competitions under laboratory conditions do this.

1988 Circa No. 40. 43/3 These drawings have to be looked at closely, like spot-the-difference puzzles.

1999 Elephant & Castle (Coventry Univ. Students' Union) Oct. 13/3 Boyzone, Westlife—spot the difference, no I couldn't either. Another boy band ballad, easy listening.

2003 Church Times 10 Oct. 28/2 One became an atheist, another a non-realist theist (spot the difference).

2015 L. Stein tr. M. Houellebecq Submission 184 The two young Arab girls were hunched over the copy of Picsou, playing ‘Spot the Difference’.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	spot
释义	spotn.¹adv. Brit. /spɒt/, U.S. /spɑt/ Forms: Old English– spot, Middle English spoot, Middle English spoote, Middle English spoth, Middle English spowt, Middle English–1600s spote, Middle English–1600s spott, Middle English–1600s spotte; also Scottish 1700s– spat. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with North Frisian spote , spōt speck, spot, piece of ground, Middle Dutch spotte , (rare) spot stain, blot, small piece, bit (Dutch (now regional: West Flanders) spot , spotte stain, (specifically) a physical stain or blot left by moisture or a liquid substance), German regional (Low German: East Friesland) spot stain, freckle, Old Icelandic spotti , spottr small piece, bit, Norwegian (Nynorsk) spott speck, spot, piece of ground, Old Danish spot speck, spot. The general rarity of the word among the earliest stages of the Germanic languages suggests that the later spread may reflect some degree of borrowing between languages, although if so the direction of borrowing is unclear. Further etymology uncertain: perhaps related to the Germanic base of spew v., although the phonology presents difficulties.Specific senses. In sense A. 2c originally after the corresponding Hellenistic Greek specific use of ancient Greek σπίλος spot, stain (see spilus n.). In sense A. 9c short for spot stroke n. at Compounds 5. In senses A. 17, B., after on the spot adv. 3. Form history. Some of the Middle English spelling forms indicate the existence of a variant with lengthened stem vowel. Place-name evidence. Earlier currency in sense A. 24 is perhaps implied by apparent use as a generic element in place names from the north of England and Scotland (compare e.g. Spot , East Lothian (1153–65; now Spott), Morspot (field name), Kirkby Thore, Westmorland (1179), Medeuspot , Midlothian (1367; now Meadowspot), and possibly also by names where the element appears to function as a determiner, as e.g. Spoforde , West Riding, Yorkshire (1086; late 12th cent. as Spotford ; now Spofforth), Spotlond , Lancashire (c1180; now Spotland), although the intended sense is less clear in such cases. However, some of these names may rather reflect use of the corresponding early Scandinavian word. Use as byname and surname. The word is attested early as a byname and surname. The earliest occurrences probably reflect sense A. 1a rather than use as a place name; compare Wulfric Spot (died a1004, but his byname is not recorded until the 13th cent.), Hugo Spotte (1194), Geoffrey Spot (1268). A. n.¹ I. A stain or blemish; a flaw. 1. In scientific and technical uses. a. A small localized lesion of the skin (or of a mucous membrane), typically discoloured and often raised, resulting from disease or infection, such as a papule, pustule, or pimple.Now relatively uncommon in North American use.milk spot, rose spot: see the first element. See also red spot n. 1.In quot. 1260 in a surname. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > blemish > [noun] > spot or mark spotOE markOE tachea1400 macula?a1425 ruby1542 plotch1548 flea-biting1552 fleck1598 blanch1608 staina1616 naeve1619 neve1624 dark1637 sunspot1651 pip1676 liver spot1684 beauty spot1795 heat-spot1822 spilus1822 ink-spot1839 punctation1848 punctuation1848 macule1864 soldier's spots1874 pock1894 mouche1959 OE Sedulius Glosses (Corpus Cambr. 173) in F. Sandgren Otium et Negotium (1973) 212 Maculis : wom uel spot. 1260 in J. Jönsjö Stud. Middle Eng. Nicknames (1979) 168 Joh. Spotothebrowe. c1425 tr. J. Arderne Treat. Fistula (Sloane 6) (1910) 50 Al spottez or filþez of þe skyn which giffeþ oute watre. c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 82 So þe pestelence come...& when he had þe spottys þe fadur held hym vp in his armys. 1560 Bible (Geneva) Lev. xiii. 4 If the white spot be in y^e skin of his flesh [etc.]. 1586 Bk. Pretty Conceits a.7b Anoint your face or hands with the oyl of tartar, and it will clear them from all spots, freckles, pimples, &c. 1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Rousseurs, little, red, wan, or blackish pimples or spots in the face, &c. 1669 W. Simpson Hydrologia Chymica 72 In its road it leaves its character of Spots, Stains, Blotches, Buboes, Ulcers, &c. in..the skin. 1725 N. Robinson New Theory of Physick 296 Scorbutic Spots and Blotches emboss the Legs, Arms, and Thighs. 1781 W. Cowper Expostulation 105 His unsuspecting sheep..Catch from each other a contagious spot, The foul forerunner of a gen'ral rot. 1789 Massachusetts Spy 15 Jan. 1/4 For common spots, or bunched cancers, put some of the salts on lint. 1803 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 10 487 The spots [of measles and urticaria] are usually discrete, insulated. 1843 E. S. Abdy tr. R. von Falkenstein Water Cure (ed. 2) 53 A girl..had..several spots in the face. 1936 C. Beaton Diary in Self Portrait with Friends (1979) v. 45 His face swelled and broke out in spots. 1998 Zest Oct. 54/2 Most spots are caused by blocked hair follicles, which leads to inflammation and infection. 2002 T. Mitchell & A. Dudley Acne 123 Attractive assistants can make you feel very intimidated, especially as most of them seem so perfectly made up without a spot or rash in sight! †b. A small, circumscribed lesion on or in the eye, spec. an opacity of the cornea; the condition of having such a lesion. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of eye > [noun] > other marks or spots spot1340 maculaa1400 nubecula1699 feather1847 conus1886 siderosis1892 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 237 (MED) Þe spot..is wel uouler ine þe eȝen þanne ine oþre lemes of þe bodye. ?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 105^v (MED) Of sikenez of cornee..ffirst of maculez, i. spottys, after of catharactez. ?c1450 in G. Müller Aus Mittelengl. Medizintexten (1929) 72 (MED) For a spot in þe eye. 1500 Ortus Vocabulaorum sig. Qiiij/1 Glaucoma, a spott in the eye. a1625 T. Lodge Poore Mans Talentt (1881) 19 The spotts in the eies may easily bee cured in the yonger sort. 1639 O. Wood Alphabet. Bk. Physicall Secrets 59 This cureth Spot, Pearle, Web, or any thing else in the Eye. c. A dark or contrasting mark on the disc of the moon, the sun, or other celestial object. Cf. sunspot n. 2.Also figurative in spots in the sun: blemishes or imperfections in a character otherwise unblemished (cf. sense A. 2a). See also red spot n. 3, white spot n. 2. Great Dark Spot, Great Red Spot, Great White Spot: see great adj., n., adv., and int. Compounds 1e. ΘΚΠ the world > the universe > heavenly body > [noun] > disc > mark on spot1565 1565 B. Googe tr. ‘M. Palingenius’ Zodiake of Life (new ed.) xi. sig. SS.iij^v What are the blackish spots that in the Moone we may beholde? 1605 W. Camden Remaines ii. 15 Of the fiery coulour of the planet Mars, and the spotts in the Moone he giueth this reason. a1641 R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 117 It is lately discovered that spots are in the Sun: and if our sight deceive us not, there be in the Moone. 1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 48 You discover him by his Phrases, as apparently as you can the Spots of the Moon with a Telescope. 1785 W. Cowper Task i. 714 Where finds Philosophy her eagle eye, With which she gazes at yon burning disk Undazzled, and detects and counts his spots? 1854 L. Tomlinson tr. D. F. J. Arago Pop. Lect. Astron. 79 The spots, which have served for determining the period of the rotation of Mars. 1890 C. A. Young Elem. Astron. §363 No spots are visible from which to determine the planet's [sc. Uranus's] diurnal rotation. 1931 Times Lit. Suppl. 20 Aug. 630/4 He had his small tyrannies and pedantries... Mr. Nowell Smith..candidly acknowledges the spots in the sun. 1981 P. C. Sherrod & T. L. Keod Compl. Man. Amateur Astron. (2003) x. 182/1 Frequently, in the equatorial and tropical regions [of Saturn], you can see large white spots or ovals similar to those described..as occurring on Jupiter. 2003 J. Scalzi Rough Guide to Universe iii. 34 The Sun is actually brighter the more sunspots it has, thanks to faculae—intensely bright spots on the Sun. d. Any of various diseases of plants marked by the occurrence of abnormal localized discolorations on the leaves or fruit, often of fungal origin. Usually with modifying word.chocolate spot, coral-spot, halo spot, leaf-spot, marsh spot, etc.: see the first element. See also black spot n. 2. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > disease or injury > [noun] > type of disease > fungal > associated with trees > discolouration caused by stain1731 spot1800 sap-stain1910 sap-staining1910 1800 C. Marshall Introd. Knowl. & Pract. Gardening (ed. 3) xx. 390 Cucumbers cover on nights to prevent the spot. 1852 Beck's Florist 140 How to prevent the ‘spot’, and some other diseases to which Pelargoniums are heir. 1905 Daily News 14 Apr. 4 That dread disease of cucumber and melon plants, known as ‘spot’. 1988 I. M. Smith European Handbk. Plant Dis. xiii. 380/2 The fungus [Pyrenophora teres] exists in two forms, a net form and a spot form which differ only in the symptoms produced on barley. 1999 D. Ingram & N. Robertson Plant Dis. iv. 83 The importance of these pathogens lies in their capacity to carry important viruses from plant to plant, including..cucumber necrosis and melon necrotic spot. e. colloquial. An egg inside which a dark patch can be seen when it is held before a light. Now rare. ΚΠ 1894 Daily News 1 Feb. 7/1 The eggs..are what we call ‘spots’, half good and half bad. 1913 W. D. Richardson in Allen's Commerc. Org. Anal. (ed. 4) VIII. 448 Spots are eggs which show a spot in the interior when candled. 1914 Amer. Poultry Jrnl. Sept. 1166/2 ‘Spots’ are eggs that contain mould spots, rot spots from mould, yolk adhering to shell, or partly developed embryos. 1932 F. W. Tanner Microbiol. Foods xviii. 515 Frozen eggs prepared from spots, rots, and blood rings gave a bacterial count of 4,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 per gram. f. On an X-ray or other radiological scan: an localized area of contrasting density indicative of the presence of abnormal tissue. ΚΠ 1899 Philadelphia Monthly Med. Jrnl. 1 168 (table) Infarct. Dark spot or spots generally found towards the periphery of the lung. 1917 ‘K. Mansfield’ Let. 23 Dec. (1977) I. 356 That left lung of mine..is ‘no end better’ but there is a spot in my right lung. 1961 J. Carew Last Barbarian 93 He went down with pneumonia and after he recovered the doctors found a spot on his lungs. 1999 N. Jelsing Prostate Cancer 170 When I looked at those X rays with my doctor, I saw a spot on my breast. 2010 N.Y. Times 30 Aug. a9 A CT scan a week later revealed abnormal spots on his kidneys, and he was referred to an oncologist. 2. a. A moral stain, blot, or blemish; a moral flaw. Also as a mass noun (see also without spot at Phrases 1e).Frequently as a figurative use of sense A. 3. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > [noun] > a stain or slur spota1225 umberc1380 blotc1386 maculate1490 touch1508 blemish1526 blur1548 attaint1592 stain1594 attainder1597 tachec1610 sullya1616 tainta1616 smutch1648 slur1662 woad1663 a blot on an escutcheon1697 blotch1860 smear1943 a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 95 Wepeð forð mid me..and waschen ðe spottes of ure euele ðeawes! 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 200 Þes god is y-cleped lyȝt. Vor he clenzeþ þe onderstondinge of man of þiesternesse of prede and of spottes of zenne. c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 764 (MED) Cum hyder to me, my lemman swete, For mote ne spot is non in þe. a1450 (?c1405) in J. Kail 26 Polit. Poems (1904) 29 [Let] No fende spot vppon the spyȝe. a1475 tr. Thomas à Kempis De Imitatione Christi (Cambr. Gg.1.16) (1997) iii. lxi. 140 Lete vs put no spotte in oure glory in fleynge fro þe crosse. a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) iii. f. Clxxxv^v This spot of synne god dothe away. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. cxxix To the intent they myght washe out this spotte, they inuente an other waye more easye. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. J.-P. Camus Admirable Events 45 I had rather dye a thousand deaths, then to set such a spot on my blood, and posterity. 1650 T. Hubbert Pilula 104 Neither should their spot have been differenced or known from the spot of the wicked. 1735 A. Pope Of Char. of Women 8 Ladies like variegated Tulips show, 'Tis to their Changes half their Charms we owe; Such happy Spots the nice Admirer take, Fine by defect, and delicately weak. 1785 W. Cowper Tirocinium in Task 329 Safe under such a wing, the boy shall show No spots contracted among grooms below. View more context for this quotation 1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. ii. i. 104 The Gironde has touched, this day, on the foul black-spot of its fair Convention Domain. 1845 C. Dickens Chimes ii. 72 As to character,..[they] will..have it as free from spot or speck in us, afore they'll help us. 1942 E. B. White One Man's Meat 200 The punky spots in the character of free men will have to be cut out before it is too late. 1994 Economist 24 Sept. 26 The obvious dark spots on America's record––the displacement of the Indians, slavery, Jim Crow. †b. With of or possessive. A stigma or stain left by a specified sin or disgrace. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > [noun] > a moral blemish or stain smitOE wem?c1225 tachec1330 spot1340 wrinklea1400 tackc1425 iron mould1584 iron mole1599 soil1600 taintment1633 smirch1862 the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > [noun] > a stain or slur > of something disgraceful spot1340 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 237 (MED) Alsuo is þe spot of lecherie more uouler..ine clerkes and ine prelas þanne ine leawede uolke. a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate Siege Thebes (Arun.) (1911) l. 4132 (MED) Ȝif..the shyning of her Fame Eclipsid were with eny spotte of blame. c1475 in J. P. Genet Four Eng. Polit. Tracts (1977) 194 A kynge and a Prince shuld have in his counsaill wyse folke..with oute the spotte of covetyse. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxviij Lest, he..should be noted with the spot of Nygardshyp. 1567 in 6th Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS: Pt. I (1877) 642/1 in Parl. Papers (C. 1745) XLVII. 1 Quhairin gif we failze, we ar content to vndirly the spot of vntrewth, ingraitnes, and defamatioun. 1603 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1884) 1st Ser. VI. 524 The perpetuall spott of perjurie dew to thame for thair violatioun of the said assuirance. 1647 N. Bacon Hist. Disc. Govt. 92 First twelve men inquired of the fame and ground thereof, which if liked rendred the party under the spot of delinquency. 1761 W. Cruden Hymns on Variety of Divine Subj. lxi. 81 Bright surrounding choirs may see, Thee purge black envy's spot. 1883 Jrnl. Educ. (Univ. of Boston School of Educ.) 15 Feb. 102/3 He was ever ready to cover with a generous word the spot of blame. 1914 J. L. Gordon All's Love yet All's Law viii. 141 The modern saint is not ‘unspotted’. There's the gray spot of uncertainty, the green spot of envy, the red spot of anger, [etc.]. †c. A person who is morally stained; a disgrace. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > disgrace or dishonour > [noun] > of specific person reproacha1456 spot1526 1526 Bible (Tyndale) 2 Pet. ii. 13 Spottes [Gk. σπίλοι] they are and filthynes. 1526 Bible (Tyndale) Jude 12 These are spottes [Gk. σπιλάδες] which..feast togedder. a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) iv. xiii. 35 Follow his Chariot, like the greatest spot Of all thy Sex. View more context for this quotation c1616 R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) vi. 2476 By some devill got, For man could never, sure, beget a spot Of such vncleannesse. 1673 W. Wycherley Gentleman Dancing-master 89 Thou spot, sploach of my Family and blood. 3. a. A physical stain, blot, or blemish, esp. on cloth; a flaw or defect in appearance or construction. Also as a mass noun (see also without spot at Phrases 1e).In quot. ?c1225 in figurative context (cf. sense A. 2a). ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [noun] > spotted condition > spot speckc725 moleeOE spot?c1225 wen1340 spleck1398 tachea1400 motec1400 macule?a1425 smot1532 fleck1598 iron mould1638 flecket1684 sye1781 ?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 213 Hwen þeþocht geað inwart..and þe lust waxeð þenne as wes spot ear up on þe hwite hude þer waxeð wunde. 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 228 Þe huite robe huerinne þe spot is uouler and more yzyenne þanne in anoþer cloþ. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xiii. l. 315 Þi best cote..Hath many moles and spottes it moste ben ywasshe. a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) l.1183 She toke the Shirte..And wesht it..so clene That afterward was noo spotte on it seen. 1569 R. Androse tr. ‘Alessio’ 4th Bk. Secretes iii. 48 If you drop it [sc. Oyle of Balme] vppon a wollen cloth it will make no spot. 1591 J. Harington tr. L. Ariosto Orlando Furioso xxxiiii. lxx. 286 The Moone was like a glasse all voyd of spot. 1617 F. Moryson Itinerary iii. iv. ii. 174 They cannot bee more prouoked, then by casting any spot vpon their white heads [i.e. turbans]. 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 213 The Diamond..Without Spots or Foulness, is called a Paragon-stone, and in full Perfection. 1721 tr. M.-C. D'Aulnoy Coll. Novels & Tales II. 164 Sir, my Heart always achs when I see you in a Passion in a dirty Place, which proceeds from my Fear of getting Spots upon my Clothes. 1785 W. Cowper Task iv. 554 The stain Appears a spot upon a vestal's robe, The worse for what it soils. 1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. vii. 197 All retorts with spots..in the part to be heated, should be rejected. 1841 Edinb. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 56 242 Spots left by drops of red ink, which had fallen on thin paper previously moistened. 1865 Cork Examiner 14 Feb. A spot on the shirt appeared to me to be blood. 1938 Amer. Home Oct. 50/2 Salty foods will also cause tarnish and black spots, therefore, it is very important to wash table silver in hot soapy water immediately after each meal. 1953 A. Hosain Phoenix Fled 161 He felt a perverse pride in each frayed edge, worn patch, darkening spot on his clothes as underlining his personal integral worth. 2014 Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 14 Oct. 7 This turns up as brownish spots on light-colored sheets and walls. b. With of or modifying word. A stain or mark made by a specified substance.Sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense A. 23a.bloodspot, dirt-spot, ink-spot, oil spot: see the first element. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [noun] > stained condition > stain lita1325 pleckc1350 blotc1400 smodc1400 discolouring?a1425 spot?a1425 stain1583 denigration1641 discolouration1666 staddle1691 discolour1812 spang1839 blotting1842 suddle1861 staddle-stead1868 dabble1871 staddle-mark1876 ?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 36 Ȝit þe spottes of þe qwhit mylk er sene apon þe stanes. c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 150 Onone as sho tuchid it þer apperid a dropp & a spott of blude. 1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Greasines, or spottes of grease, or filthynes. 1590 E. Digby Dissuasiue 152 If the glasse nowe set before your face bee true..why doe you not behold this spotte of earth, wherewith your face is so besprented? a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. ii. 254 An innocent hand. Not painted with the Crimson spots of blood. View more context for this quotation 1677 G. Miege New Dict. French & Eng. ii. sig. Zz3^v A spot of oyl upon a sute of cloaths. 1714 Boston News-let. 30 Aug. 2/2 (advt.) A new Long Boat of Seventeen Foot long, prim'd with Red, several spots of Pitch in the Bowe. 1736 N. Bailey Dict. Domesticum (at cited word) To take a Spot of Oil out of Sattin, &c. 1825 W. Scott Talisman xv, in Tales Crusaders IV. 329 What signifies counting the spots of dirt that we are about to wash from our hands? 1927 R. B. McKerrow Introd. to Bibliography for Literary Students 234 Evidence..from water-stains, rust-spots, and dirt-marks. a1930 D. H. Lawrence Mod. Lover (1934) 288 Do you think he'd flown over, with bicycle-clips round his trouser-ankles and spots of mud on his nose? 1981 K. Thear in K. Thear & A. Fraser Compl. Bk. Livestock & Poultry (1988) ii. 45/2 If you want to clean the eggs you can remove isolated spots of dirt with sandpaper. 2001 J. Wolcott Catsitters xxxviii. 251 The fresh spots of blood on the cuffs of my white shirt looked like hollyberries. II. A mark or dot; something distinguished by this. 4. a. A small, usually roundish, mark of a different colour or appearance from the surface on which it appears. Also in extended use. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > [noun] spota1300 dropc1420 stud1751 gout1833 wafer1853 blob1863 pock1894 tache1957 a1300 (c1275) Physiologus (1991) l. 536 He is blac so bro of qual, Mið wite spottes sapen al. ?c1400 tr. Secreta Secret. (Sloane) (1977) 12 (MED) Þat man es..moste reprouable..whose eyghne haue alle aboute spottes, white, rede, or blak. ?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 101 Þai hafe on þaire heuedes a reed spotte. a1505 R. Henryson Test. Cresseid 260 in Poems (1981) 119 Hir gyte was gray and full of spottis blak. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Jer. xiii. 23 Like as the man of Inde maye chaunge his skynne, & the cat of the mountayne hir spottes. 1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream ii. i. 11 The cowslippes tall her Pensioners bee, In their gold coats, spottes you see. View more context for this quotation 1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vi. 292 The Countrey..ouer-cled heere and there with spots of Sheepe and Goates. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost viii. 23 This Earth a spot, a graine, An Atom, with the Firmament compar'd..this opacous Earth, this punctual spot . View more context for this quotation a1771 T. Gray Statius in Mem. (1775) 10 A tyger's pride..With native spots and artful labour gay. 1844 E. R. Mardon Billiards 111 The marked ball should have but one spot, and that as small as possible. 1883 G. Stables Our Friend the Dog vii. 61 Spot—A hollow between the eyes, marking the union of the frontal with the nasal bones. 1928 Times 7 May 19/6 With white tennis dresses go short spotted coats, red, blue, yellow, or green spots on a white ground. 1998 D. Bilu tr. Y. Shabtai in World Lit. Today 72 518/2 She..put on her white dress with the red spots, and tied the purple silk scarf around her neck. 2014 Science 19 Dec. 1439/3 That obsession is still on view with horses with ‘leopard spots’—white coats with dark spots, such as those in Appaloosas. †b. A fabric decorated with dots or spots. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > patterned > spotted spot1798 1798 J. Austen Let. 25 Dec. (1995) 30 My coarse spot, I shall turn..into a petticoat very soon. 1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 1232 The draught and cording of a spot whose two sides are similar, but reversed. 5. A small dark mark or patch painted or placed on the face to enhance beauty or to conceal a blemish. Now only in beauty spot n. 2. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the face > [noun] > adorning with patches > ornamental patches or spots spot1578 patch1592 beauty spot1647 fly1658 mouche1676 gunpowder spot1681 powder-spot1683 beauty patch1691 mouchet1699 coquette patch1705 1578 J. Lyly Euphues f. 44 Their shadows, their spottes, their lawnes,..their ruffes, their rings. 1592 J. Lyly Midas i. ii. sig. A4^v Earerings, borders, crippins, shadowes, spots, and so many other trifles. 1665 S. Pepys Diary 13 Jan. (1972) VI. 9 The first time that ever I saw her to wear spots. 1667 L. Stuckley Gospel-glasse xxi. 214 Are not some puff'd up with their fine Clothes,..Ribbons, Dressings, yea with their very Spots? 1719 F. Tolson Octavius Prince of Syra 17 A comely Ruff about her Neck was worn, No spots of Fancy did her Face adorn. 1776 J. Strutt Horda Angel-Cynnan III. 102 Vice..is set forth without any handkerchief, and her stays cut low,..and various black spots or patches upon her face. 1874 Hist. Great Brit. iii. 129 Tory ladies wearing the spots on the left temple, and Whigs on the right. 2009 Community Care 7 May 34/1 For tens of thousands of years we've altered our appearence [sic] with woad, white lead, beauty spots and wigs, but today, it's a huge business. 6. Each of the pips or symbols on a playing card that together denote its rank or value. Cf. two-spot, five-spot, etc., at Phrases 2b(a), and spot card n. at Compounds 5. Now chiefly U.S. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > pip or spot spot1578 pip1604 pippet1940 1578 J. Stockwood Serm. Barthelmew Day 142 They perfectlye can tell howe manye spottes there be in a payre of Cardes..when as they scarce reade a leafe of the Bible twice in a Moneth. 1656 Duchess of Newcastle Natures Pictures iii. 141 A dilation of the Thoughts, bid him take the Eyes of Dice, and the Spots of Cards, and the Chequers of Chess boards, and the Points of Table men, and put those together. 1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester vi. 80 The Cards are all valued according to the number of the spots they bear, the Ace only excepted, which wins all other Cards, and goes for eleven. 1701 N. Grew Cosmol. Sacra i. iii. 15 On the Sides of the Glass it sometimes Chrystallizes into perfect Rhombs, like the Spots in the Diamond Card. 1749 B. Martin Lingua Britannica Reformata Pip, a spot upon cards. 1830 R. Hardie Hoyle made Familiar 53 The pictured cards count for ten, and the rest according to the spots. 1861 New Orleans Daily Crescent 4 Feb. 2/4 A fellow..who can take a five shooting revolver in each hand and knock the spots off the ten of diamonds at eighty paces. 1922 Evening World (N.Y.) 11 Mar. (Fiction section) 4/1 The spots on the cards have nothing to do with the trick. 1977 D. Anthony Stud Game xix. 118 I had a poker game... I played mechanically, counting spots and backing the odds. 1996 S. Winebrenner Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in Regular Classroom xiii. 216 Teach her how cards with more spots ‘win’ over cards with fewer spots. 7. A variety of domestic pigeon having predominantly white plumage with a spot of another colour above the beak. Now rare.See also spot fairy n., spot pigeon n. at Compounds 5. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Columbiformes (pigeons, etc.) > domestic pigeon > [noun] > spot pigeon spot1676 spot pigeon1783 1676 F. Willughby & J. Ray Ornithologiæ 133 Spots, Anglicè, quoniam in fronte supra rostrum maculam habent singulæ. 1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Pigeon There are, indeed, many Sorts of Pigeons, such as..Barbs,..Owls, Spots, Trumpeters. 1765 Treat. Domest. Pigeons 132 The Spot..is about the size of a small runt, and was brought hither from Holland. 1834 R. Mudie Feathered Tribes Brit. Islands I. 74 The principal ones [sc. pigeons] are..the Smiter, the Spot, the Tumbler [etc.]. 1861 C. Darwin Origin of Species (ed. 3) 26 I also crossed a barb with a spot, which is a white bird with a red tail and red spot on the forehead. 1881 J. C. Lyell Fancy Pigeons 73 The spot has been described by every English writer, including Willoughby, and is common on the Continent. 1958 C. A. Naether Bk. of Pigeon (ed. 4) v. 111 American fanciers seem to favor two varieties in particular—the Full-head and the Spot or Fairy Swallow. 8. a. With distinguishing word or words, specifying the type or number of spots, in the names of moths or butterflies having a distinctive spot or spots on the wing, and in the names of ladybirds having a characteristic number of spots on the elytra. Also attributive.See also white spot n. 1. ΚΠ 1769 J. Berkenhout Outl. Nat. Hist. Great Brit. & Ireland I. 144 White Spot Tussock-Moth. 1832 J. Rennie Conspectus Butterflies & Moths Brit. 153 The Diamond Spot. 1873 J. G. Wood Insects at Home 491 An example of another family..is the rare and conspicuous White-Spot (Ennychia octomaculalis). 1901 M. C. Dickerson Moths & Butterflies iii. 325 The Regal Silver-spot, one of the largest of the group, can be found getting the nectar from swamp milkweeds and will be confused at first sight with the Monarch. 1913 W. F. Kirby Butterflies & Moths, in Romance & Reality 123 The Gold-spot..has rusty brown fore wings, varied with gold-colour, with two silvery pear-shaped spots in the middle. 1966 J. Sankey Chalkland Ecol. v. 113 Large populations of several species of aphids were discovered as well as two-spot ladybirds Adalia bipunctata. 2004 Daily Tel. 5 Oct. 6/4 There are around 40 species of ladybird in Britain ranging from the common seven spot and two spot to the more unusual and specialist pine and orange ladybirds. 2010 Bird Observatories Brit. & Ireland (Bird Observatories Council) 151 The Sussex Emerald, the White Spot..and various other species..are nationally scarce. b. Either of two sciaenid fishes found in the West Atlantic: the small Leiostomus xanthurus, which has a dark spot behind the gills, and (U.S.) the red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, which has an eyespot near the tail.See also spotfish n. at Compounds 5. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > member of leiostomus xanthurus (spot) goody1855 spot1864 roach1873 spotfish1875 the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > fish > other edible fish dogdrave1227 lamprey1297 lingc1300 loach1357 tench1390 carpc1440 rougetc1485 anchovy1582 pompano1598 tai1620 alewife1633 tug-whitingc1650 weakfish1686 ten-pounder1699 fire-flaira1705 tusk1707 porgy1725 katsuo1727 rockfish1731 tautog1750 sea bass1765 Albany beef1779 sable1810 Murray cod1843 paradise fish1858 spot1864 strawberry bass1867 nannygai1871 maomao1873 spotfish1875 strawberry perch1877 milkfish1880 tarwhine1880 tile-fish1881 latchett1882 tile1893 anago1895 flake1906 branzino1915 rascasse1921 lampuki1925 red fish1951 the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > genus Sciaena > sciaena ocellata (red drum) bass1530 drummer1615 drum1649 red drum1709 drummer fish1725 red fish1763 red sciaena1803 red bass1837 spot1864 school bass1869 channel bass1873 spotfish1875 masooka1884 red horse1884 red1958 1864 T. Norris Amer. Angler's Bk. 290 The most common name along the New Jersey Coast is ‘Goody’. It is known at Lewes, Delaware..as the ‘Spot’, from the mark near the gill-cover. 1885 Harper's Mag. Jan. 221/1 It might be a spot..or a tarpon. 1902 D. S. Jordan & B. W. Evermann Amer. Food & Game Fishes 260 For bait use live mullet, spot, grunt, or other small fish. 1961 E. S. Herald Living Fishes of World 192/1 The spot, Leiostomus xanthurus.., is easily recognized by the spot above the base of the pectoral fin. 2002 Chesapeake Bay Mag. Aug. 73/1 The list of usual suspects is actually fairly small: silversides, bay anchovies,..juvenile spot and croakers. 9. a. Billiards, Snooker, Pool, etc. A round dot marking a place on the table where a particular ball is positioned; spec. (a) Billiards (with the) the dot at the upper end of the table used for the red ball; (b) Snooker each of the six dots used for the colours. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [noun] > table > positions on table spot1775 striking-ring1814 D1873 1775 ‘Connoisseur’ Ann. Gaming viii. 112 The red ball is placed as usual, on the spot made for that purpose. 1807 E. White Pract. Treat. Billiards ii. 35 After the red ball has been holed and replaced upon the spot, it will be advisable to adopt the latter mode of play. 1857 ‘Capt. Crawley’ Billiards (ed. 2) i. 5 Three spots will be found on all good tables..the third a distance of thirteen inches from the cushion. This is called the spot. 1902 Times 15 Mar. 14/2 Stevenson came out at the top of his form with a splendid break of 221, breaking down, after the balls had touched, at the simple loser off the centre spot. 1945 Official Rule Bk. All Pocket & Carom Billiard Games (Billiard Congr. Amer.) 35 If the 1- and 3-balls are illegally pocketed, the 1-ball is placed on the foot spot and the 3-ball is frozen behind it on the string. 1989 Snooker Scene Jan. 17/2 Davis went to..8–3 with a break of 84 after Parrott, first in with 25, had missed a black from its spot. 2003 Times 1 Dec. 36/8 In the thirteenth frame, he unexpectedly overcut a pink from its spot. b. Billiards. With the. The white cue ball marked with a black spot (also more fully spot ball, spot white). Also: the player who plays with this ball.A yellow ball is now normally substituted for the spot in tournament play. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [noun] > ball > ball in specific position object ball1857 quarter ball1857 spot1857 player1868 cue-ball1873 object white1904 1857 ‘C. Bede’ Nearer & Dearer ii. 14 I can't make out the red from the spot. 1857 ‘C. Bede’ Nearer & Dearer i. 1 ‘How is the game?’ ‘Twenty spot; ten striker.’ 1873 J. Bennett & ‘Cavendish’ Billiards 25 One ball is coloured red; the other two are white, but one of the white balls has a black spot on it, and is called the Spot-white. 1923 Humorist 20 Oct. 314/1 I took spot, and gave her a miss in baulk. ‘That's one to you,’ I explained. 1976 Spectator 24 Jan. 30/1 The billiards people wouldn't even let us put an R on the spot ball instead of the usual spot. 2009 S. Waddell Road Back Home (2010) xii. 207 He swooped elegantly to manoeuvre the balls, cannoning spot white to red and plain white. †c. Billiards. A shot that pockets the red ball, esp. one that leaves the cue ball in a position to repeat the shot. Obsolete (see note at spot stroke n. at Compounds 5).With quot. 1873 cf. spot-barred adj. at Compounds 5. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [noun] > actions or types of play > type of stroke hazard1674 carambole1775 carom1779 cannon1802 screw1825 sidestroke1834 following stroke1837 cannonade1844 five-stroke1847 follow1850 scratch1850 fluke1857 jenny1857 bank shot1859 angle shot1860 draw shot1860 six-stroke1861 run-through1862 spot1868 quill1869 dead-stroke1873 loser1873 push1873 push stroke1873 stab1873 stab screw1873 draw1881 force1881 plant1884 anchor cannon1893 massé1901 angle1902 cradle-cannon1907 pot1907 jump shot1909 carry-along1913 snooker1924 1868 Bell's Life in London 31 Oct. 2/6 This break, the largest of the day, comprised 22 consecutive ‘spots’. 1873 Bell's Life in London 8 Feb. 3/4 Bennett and Stanley had a match for £100, at the Albert Club, 1,000 up (spot barred). 1880 Times 28 Sept. 11/5 He kept possession of the table until he had added up 151 (40 spots). 1908 Manch. Courier 19 Mar. 3/4 This 4,000 up match, level, with Peall allowed 100 consecutive spots, was finished at Burroughes and Watts. 10. A small patch of light, darkness, or colour perceived in the field of vision as a result of a physiological or pathological process occurring within the eye; spec. a floater (floater n. Additions). Chiefly in plural. Cf. muscae volitantes n.See also to see spots at Phrases 2f. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of eye > disordered vision > [noun] > specks or sparks before eye stars1598 synchysis1684 muscae volitantes1715 spot1785 phosphene1852 muscae1856 sparkling synchisis1859 spark1899 floater1902 1785 G. Wallis tr. F. Boissier de la Croix de Sauvages Nosologia Methodica Oculorum ix. 255 They observe lucid points, or small spots before them, which fly in different directions. 1808 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 19 313 Dark spots floating constantly before the eye. 1898 Denver Evening Post 23 Feb. 3/4 (advt.) If you have any symptoms of the dread malady, eye dimness, spots or specks before the eyes, unrefreshful sleep [etc.]. 1951 J. Hawkes Land x. 234 I look straight at the sun..then it is gone, leaving only a dancing green spot on my retina. 1998 Zest Sept. 53/2 About ten per cent of [migraine] sufferers get visual warning signals such as shimmering or spots in front of their eyes before the onset of the headache. 2005 Chicago Tribune (Midwest ed.) 16 Jan. xiii. 6 a/1 Spots before the eyes, or floaters, certainly can be annoying. 11. Building. Short for spot board n. at Compounds 5. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > [noun] > plasterer's tools > board or tray boss1542 hand board1688 hawk1700 spot board1877 spot1922 1922 E. J. Evans Building Contracts xviii. 81 It is essential that all plant, such as Derby's sieves, cornice moulds..spots, scaffolding, etc.,..be on site in readiness. 1927 A. H. Telling ABC of Plastering 195 It is part of the labourer's business to see that the ‘spot’ is supplied with ‘stuff’ for the plasterer's use. 1964 J. S. Scott Dict. Building 307 Spot board or gauge board or spot, a plasterer's board about 3 ft square on which he works up the plaster before he puts it on. It rests on a stand about 27 in. high. 12. In greyhound racing: one hundredth of a second. [Perhaps with reference to one-hundredth of a second being marked by a spot on an analogue stopwatch.] ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > greyhound racing > [noun] > specific division of time in race spot1977 1977 Daily Mirror 16 Mar. 29/3 His time of 29.47s. was thirteen spots faster than that recorded by Gaily Noble two races later. 1992 Sporting Life 9 Oct. (Greyhound Life Suppl.) 1/1 The 5–4 favourite could finish only second.., despite improving 17 spots on his best time. 2003 Greyhound Star Aug. 11/1 He..produced a stunning 28.56—the fastest 525 of the year and only 15 spots outside the Tralee track record. III. A place, and related senses. 13. a. A place, a locality, an area.beauty spot, picnic spot, hot spot, trouble spot, etc.: see the first element. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > [noun] stowc888 stokea900 steadc1000 placec1250 fletc1275 roomc1330 spotc1400 where1443 quarter1448 plat1556 stour1583 situation1610 ubity1624 c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 37 To þat spot..I entred in þat erber grene. c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 13 Syþen in þat spote hit fro me sprange, Ofte haf I wayted [etc.]. 1539 in Protocol Bk. Sir J. Cristisone (1928) 65 [The grain which grew in the] Spotte haucht. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ix. 439 Spot more delicious then those Gardens..of reviv'd Adonis, or renownd Alcinous. View more context for this quotation a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1646 (1955) II. 488 The most pleasant spot of Italy. 1743 J. Bulkeley & J. Cummins Voy. to South-seas 106 Having publickly declar'd, that he will never go off this Spot. 1780 A. Young Tour Ireland i. 381 Nothing stops the eye till Mangerton and Macgilly Cuddy's Reeks point out the spot where Killarney's lake calls for a farther excursion. 1857 D. Livingstone Missionary Trav. S. Afr. iii. 54 Our next station is a lovely spot in the otherwise dry region. 1891 F. W. Farrar Darkness & Dawn II. xlvii. 140 There was one spot in Rome which was calm amid all tumults. 1917 R. Peixotto Romantic Calif. 268 This great bluff that skirts the sea is the most romantic spot upon the coast, and certainly it does make a striking impression. 1995 Incentive Sept. 193/2 Oahu's..dormant volcano, Diamond Head, is a popular, easy hiking spot with million-dollar views that cost nothing. 2007 Dive Oct. 104/1 It's not surprising that this is a favourite spot for honeymooners. b. colloquial (originally U.S.). A place to socialize, esp. at night; a bar, club, or similar venue. Cf. nightspot n. at night n. and int. Compounds 4. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > nightlife > [noun] > nightclub finish1796 café chantant1854 nightclub1871 bottle party1903 lokal1903 cabaret1912 boîte1922 supper club1927 nitery1929 hot spot1930 spot1930 clip-joint1933 nightspot1936 night box1938 Nachtlokal1939 partouze1959 1930 R. Whitfield Green Ice ii. 31 Big, nice-lined moll. Came out of Harlem to the glitter spots. 1935 Chicago Defender 5 Jan. 8/8 Righteous opening, it was, at Dickie's new swank spot (formerly the Nest Club) on Thursday nite last. 1954 G. Greene 21 Stories 205 I should be taken to plenty of Spots if I wasn't with a husband. 2015 Associated Press Newswire (Nexis) 9 Apr. A trendy Chelsea spot where celebs such as Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg mingle with partygoers. c. South African. An illicit drinking establishment (usually in a private home in a township) where liquor is sold or consumed; a shebeen (see shebeen n. 2). ΚΠ 1980 M. Tholo in C. Hermer Diary of Maria Tholo vii. 99 One man arrived..soused. Everybody jumped up and asked, ‘Where did you get wet?’ I mean especially on Sunday... So he just laughed and said, ‘I am not telling because I don't want my spot uncovered.’ 1982 M. Mzamane Children of Soweto 80 Molly herself..ran a spot (which is our euphemism for a drinking joint) at her house. 1989 Eastern Province Herald (Port Elizabeth) 11 Jan. 2 Mr Q—died..after he allegedly attempted to escape while pointing out ‘spots’ in Sebokeng township. 2013 D. Makoti At Spot Prol. p. i There were basically three types of illegal shebeens, or ‘spots’ in township parlance, even though there were lots of permutations and variations to these basic types. 14. a. A small area or definite point on a surface or in a body; a location, a position. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > [noun] > of which the position alone is considered > on a surface or body placea1382 spotc1440 seat1543 plat1642 c1440 Privity of Passion (Thornton) in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1895) I. 207 (MED) Fro þe crowne of þe heuede to þe sole of his fete þare was no hole spotte lefte one hyme. 1688 G. Parker & J. Stalker Treat. Japaning vi. 28 He may with this useful Tripolee-cloth wipe out all, or any part which he thinks unworthy to stand, and on the same spot erect a new draught. 1748 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 582/1 The petrification is seen only in that spot on the apex, upon which the water is incessantly dropping. 1771 Contempl. Man I. ii. v. 105 The Captain's Head, except one bald Spot about the Crown, was covered with his own short grey Hair. 1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. vii. 211 Delivering the products of the distillation through minute apertures, and upon particular spots. 1860 F. C. L. Wraxall Life in Sea viii. 181 The Sea-snails have their gills at very different spots. 1884 B. Bosanquet et al. tr. H. Lotze Metaphysic 498 The many stimuli which at one and the same time excite the spots p q r…of the retina. 1904 Jrnl. Philos., Psychol. & Sci. Methods 1 191 The pain-free spots of the inner surface of the cheek are sensitive to pressure. 1973 Pop. Sci. Dec. 114/1 The object is to rough up the surface of the glass in selected spots. 2009 Ireland's Eye Jan. 39/4 We practiced our accuracy by..banging it [sc. the ball] against a certain spot on a shed door. b. Frequently with modifying adjective: a position or location in an abstract or metaphorical sense; esp. a short period or moment in time.soft spot, sore spot, weak spot, etc.: see the first element. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > position or situation > [noun] stallc1000 logh11.. settlea1340 placea1375 steada1387 sitea1398 assizec1400 position?a1425 estal1480 stound1557 planting1585 location1592 positure1600 posture1605 seat1607 situs1629 ubi1630 ubiety1645 locus1648 locality1656 topography1658 whereness1674 lie1697 spot1769 locus standi1809 possie1916 ubicity1922 1769 tr. G. Dragonetti Treat. Virtues & Rewards xi. 139 That imperial invitation of french d'Alembert to the court of the Czarina must ever be a bright spot of russian history. 1859 Habits Good Society 48 Those dreams which to some [people] are the only bright spots of their lives. 1887 H. S. Cunningham Cœruleans I. xiii. 165 Mr. Ambrose touched a very tender spot in Camilla's heart. 1956 Washington Post & Times Herald 31 Oct. c4/4 The really rough spot in the day for most dieters is late afternoon. 1990 Arizona Daily Star 14 Mar. d6/4 One bright spot in the past season was bettors wagered more on simulcast races than during the preceding season. c. Cricket. (a) Chiefly with the. The place on the pitch where a ball bowled accurately on a good line and length lands, making it difficult for the batter to score runs off the ball without risking dismissal. Now chiefly in on the spot adv. 4a. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > bowling > [noun] > a ball bowled > place where ball should pitch spot1855 1855 F. Lillywhite Guide to Cricketers (ed. 8) 29 The second day, however, Dean and Nixon found out the ‘spot’, and seemingly deposited every ball they delivered on the precise place. 1950 F. N. S. Creek Teach Yourself Cricket vi. 111 A mere mechanical ability to pitch the ball on some regular spot called a ‘good length’ is of little value. 1987 Times of India 19 June 13/2 On one of the few occasions the 31-year-old..did put the ball on the spot, Broad was dropped. 2005 Dominion Post (Wellington, N.Z.) (Nexis) 19 Dec. (Sport section) 2 It was amazing. I just concentrated on line and length and kept hitting the spot. (b) A place on the pitch which causes balls pitched there by the bowler to bounce irregularly, unpredictably, or in a way that is awkward for the batter. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [noun] > surface of ground > irregular place spot1859 footmark1923 1859 All Year Round 23 July 305/2 The wicket..had no dead spots, no lively ones; no chance for ‘shooters’, none for ‘bumpers’. 1908 W. E. W. Collins Leaves from Old Country Cricketer's Diary ix. 145 Their fast bowler found a spot on which the ball shot dead instead of bumping. 1980 Wisden Cricket Monthly Apr. 31/1 He was heartened by the presence of an awkward spot—a pretty large one, right on his length—from which the ball flew viciously from the very start. 2013 Sunday Territorian (Austral.) (Nexis) 17 Mar. 61 He found a spot short of a length that the home side struggled to handle. 15. With modifying adjective: a situation or set of circumstances of the (typically negative) type indicated. Usually in in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot. Cf. in a spot at Phrases 1a(a). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > [phrase] > in a difficult position > in straits waterOE straitly steadc1400 need-stead?c1450 at the worst hand1490 in suds1575 lock1598 at a bad hand1640 in a wood1659 in bad bread1743 up a stump1829 in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot1851 up shit creek1868 in the cart1889 in the soup1889 out on a limb1897 in a spot1929 up the creek1941 consommé1957 1851 New Hampsh. Statesman 7 Feb. Dr. Kittredge of New Market must be in a tight spot. 1929 C. F. Coe Hooch! v. 103 Jimmie Daust is in a bad spot, too. 1940 Washington Post 15 June 17/7 It's a tight spot for Vitt, if he is not backed to the limit by Bradley. 1954 Pittsburgh Courier 2 Oct. 18/2 Shorts is in a good spot as a dancer. So many acts nowadays are singers that dance acts are in demand. 1978 A. Price '44 Vintage xviii. 200 She'd probably only been humouring him, like any nice girl in an awkward spot might do. 2012 Legal Week 4 May 31 Definitely a man you want in your corner when you're in a tight spot. 16. Originally: (English regional (northern)) a position of employment; = situation n. 9b. Later usually more generally: an allocated place, position, or role. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > position or job > [noun] steadc1000 noteOE officec1300 ministry?a1475 rooma1485 placea1500 roomth1544 place1558 post1562 berth1720 situation1766 job1781 sit1853 spot1859 billet1870 engagement1884 shop1885 gig1908 lurk1916 possie1916 number1928 site1930 sits vac1945 hat1966 1859 W. Dickinson Gloss. Words & Phrases Cumberland 110 Aa gang to my spot at Martinmas. 1892 M. C. F. Morris Yorks. Folk-talk 206 Martinmas was the season for the lads and lasses to change their spots, as they call their situations. 1950 Sport 22 Sept. 18/2 Jack..continued to fill the centre-half spot in the Celtic line-up. 1953 Changing Times Mar. 41/1 Westinghouse offered him a spot as a trainee in its graduate student training course. 1967 Technol. Week 95/2 (advt.) Your spot? Perhaps operating a ground computer complex. 1993 Money Apr. 162/1 He began quietly working his Rolodex and soon found a spot as regional director of training for ITT/Sheraton. 2015 Barron's 16 Feb. 38/1 Davidson landed a spot in Merrill Lynch's vaunted training program. 17. Stock Market. a. A commodity or asset traded immediately. Cf. on the spot adv. 3, future n. 6. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > merchandise > [noun] > goods at immediate cash rates spot1869 1869 Commerc. Daily List (London) 4 Feb. 4/4 The market for brown Oil has still further declined, and the value of spot or month is now £32 to £32 10s for English or foreign. 1880 Commerc. & Financial Chron. 17 Jan. 72/2 Spot and futures generally 14d. to 38d. higher. 1930 Sunday Times 12 Oct. 2/4 Raw Rubber prices became easier, and spot was dealt in down to 3 11-16d. 1976 Scotsman 25 Nov. 2/8 Silver fluctuated with sterling and ended about 2p down at 262.50p for spot and 273p for three-month. 2004 Chem. Week 22 Dec. 27/1 Ethylene spot was down $70–$80/m.t. b. Chiefly in plural. A trading unit of such a commodity or asset. ΚΠ 1871 N.Y. Herald 9 Mar. 10/2 The arrangement at this time was that more money would be forthcoming from Mr. Fisk for the buying up of ‘spots’, as well as of all ‘futures’. 1890 Pall Mall Gaz. 3 Sept. 6/2 He was supposed to have held from 130,000 to 150,000 bales—spots and futures. 1952 N.Y. Times 3 Sept. 39/1 The price basis was set despite declines in domestic spots and futures. 2014 G. Swindle Valuation & Risk Managem. Energy Markets v. xiii. 327 What traders actually do is buy or sell spots and take offsetting positions in the balance of month or first nearby contracts. 18. Stock Market. With preceding adjective, as firm, steady, dull, etc.: a sector of the market (e.g. shares in a company) considered in relation to its performance. Frequently in to be a firm (also steady, dull, etc.) spot: to perform in a specified way. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > share > in which dealings are of specific kind spot1883 1883 Bankers' Mag. Mar. 724 The public coming in as a seller on every ‘firm spot’, while holding aloof as a buyer on weak ones. 1911 Irish Times 11 Nov. 6/6 American Rails were firm—in fact, the only steady spot in the market. 1981 Times 23 Apr. 18/3 Another dull spot was Danish Bacon, which gave up 2p to 104p after results. 2005 Scotsman (Nexis) 18 Jan. 50 Supermarket giant Tesco was a firm spot, up 2.1 per cent, or 6.5p, to 323.25p on anticipation that it will deliver a buoyant Christmas trading update today. 19. Originally U.S. A position or slot in the schedule of a performance, show, or broadcast; (in later use) spec. (Broadcasting) a short interval in the programming for an advertisement or announcement. Also: an act, programme, advertisement, etc., occupying such a slot. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > [noun] > a performance > item in > order of > position in order spot1902 society > communication > broadcasting > [noun] > time of broadcast or place in schedule fixed point1778 time1924 airtime1931 spot1937 adjacency1947 prime time1947 airdate1950 space1956 slotting1959 airspace1960 time slot1962 slot1964 strand1979 1902 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 15 Apr. 5/1 Each one of the eight acts on the Bastable bill this week is good in its class and there are several particularly bright vaudeville spots on it. 1904 Boston Post 25 Oct. 5/3 Prevost and Prevost had a funny acrobatic act, but a rather bad spot on the bill in which to exhibit it. 1937 Amer. Speech 12 101 Spot or spot announcement refers to a brief announcement, usually commercial, spotted at various times. 1958 Manch. Guardian 29 Sept. 4/4 Spots, unlike full-length programmes, would reach people not already prejudiced in favour of the candidate. 1980 Times 5 Feb. 19/4 At present rates £44,300 would buy 49 30-second spots on each [radio] station during day-time shows. 2002 Billboard 30 Mar. 14/2 We ended up getting an opening spot on the main stage. 2012 New Yorker 13 Feb. 31/2 The thirty-second spots that quadrennially flood TV screens in primary and ‘battleground’ states..are bad enough. 20. A position or rank in a list or hierarchy; = slot n.² 6. Usually with modifying word or phase indicating the level occupied. ΚΠ 1911 Boston Post 5 June 11/4 In making nominations for the top spot in the National league, the nominator has the option of crossing his fingers from day to day. 1964 Washington Post 2 Mar. a19 The major casualty is Georgetown Prep, which drops two spots to 18th after losing to St. Albans. 1976 Southern Evening Echo (Southampton) 17 Nov. 21/3 The 125cc solo class provides a championship medal for yet another Italian, Pietro Bianchi, with Spain's Angel Nieto in second spot. 2009 M. Arrow Friday on our Minds iv. 80 Their records held the number 1 spot for an unprecedented 17 weeks. 21. A lamp casting a narrow and intense beam; a spotlight. Also: the light cast by such a lamp.follow-spot: see the first element. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > a theatre > theatrical equipment or accessories > [noun] > stage lights footlight1776 limelight1826 float1829 spotlight1875 ground-row1881 lime1892 baby spot1910 amber1913 spot1920 strip light1920 perch1933 follow spot1937 Mickey Mouse1937 pin spot1947 the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > artificial light defined by light-source > electric light > [noun] > spotlight > for a stage spotlight1875 spot1920 pin spot1947 1920 P. G. Wodehouse Jill the Reckless xvi. 285 Another outbreak of debate on the subject of blues, ambers, and the management of the ‘spot’. 1960 J. Symons Progress of Crime xl. 218 We cut off our engines after putting the spots on first to make sure this was the right show. 1990 T. C. Boyle East is East ii. 302 A single spot trained on her from overhead while a second light, more stagey and diffuse, played off her gypsy features. 2003 S. Brown Free Gift Inside! viii. 169 It [sc. Las Vegas] is a neon saturnalia, Dante's inferno with strip lights and spots. 22. Association Football, Hockey, etc. With the. The spot on a pitch from which penalty shots or kicks are taken; = penalty spot n. at penalty n. Compounds 2. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > association football > [noun] > penalty spot spot1923 1923 Brandon (Manitoba) Daily Sun 9 Feb. 2/4 The English league campaign is just half over, and yet close upon 200 shots from ‘the spot’ have been given. 1971 Times of India 8 May 12 There was not a goal scored in the seventy minutes of this quarter-final of the National Hockey Championship..and of all the people Balbir and Harbinder failed from the ‘spot’. 1990 Sunday Express 21 Oct. 39/8 Referee Ian Hendrick had no alternative but to point to the spot when Neil Ruddock crudely brought down Cyrille Regis. 2015 Associated Press Newswire (Nexis) 6 July She [sc. Carli Lloyd] put the U.S. ahead in the third minute off a grass-hugging corner kick..using the side of her left foot just in front of the spot to redirect the ball inside the far post. IV. A piece or bit of something, and related senses. 23. a. Chiefly with of. A small piece, amount, or quantity of something; a discrete portion, a drop, a bit. Also figurative with abstract nouns, as spot of bother, spot of trouble, etc.Now relatively uncommon in North American use. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > a small quantity or amount speckc725 littleOE somethingc1200 lutewihtc1230 little whatc1384 ouncec1387 lap1393 smalla1400 modicumc1400 nekedc1400 spota1413 tinec1420 nieveful?a1425 handfulc1443 mouthful?c1450 smatchc1456 weec1480 quern1503 halfpennyworth1533 groatsworth1562 dram1566 shellful1578 trickle1580 snatch1592 sprinkling1594 fleck1598 snip1598 pittance1600 lick1603 fingerful1604 modicum1606 thimbleful1607 flash1614 dasha1616 pipa1616 pickle1629 drachm1635 cue1654 smack1693 starn1720 bit1753 kenning1787 minikin1787 tate1805 starnie1808 sprat1815 harl1821 skerrick1825 smallums1828 huckleberry1832 scrimp1840 thimble1841 smite1843 nattering1859 sensation1859 spurt1859 pauchlea1870 mention1891 sketch1894 sputterings1894 scrappet1901 titch1937 tad1940 skosh1959 smattering1973 the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a separate part > a piece or bit > small piece fingereOE snedec1000 seed?a1200 morselc1300 bittlock?a1400 farthingc1405 spota1413 lipetc1430 offe?1440 drewc1450 remnantc1450 parcel1483 crap1520 flakec1525 patch1528 spark1548 a piece1559 sparklec1570 inch1573 nibbling?1577 scantling1585 scrat1593 mincing1598 scantle1598 halfpenny1600 quantity1600 nip1606 kantch1608 bit1609 catch1613 scripa1617 snap1616 sippeta1625 crumblet1634 scute1635 scantleta1642 snattock1654 cantlet1700 tab1729 pallion1738 smallness1818 knobble1823 wisp1836 a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) v. l. 1815 Doun from þens faste he gan auyse This litel spot of erþe þat with þe se Enbraced is. c1425 (c1400) Laud Troy-bk. l. 17137 For he lefft not of hir a spot That he ne hit hewe as flesch to pot. c1440 S. Scrope tr. C. de Pisan Epist. of Othea (St. John's Cambr.) (1970) 108 (MED) Þe spirite..suffrith no maner of litil spotte of chaf to abide in the habitacion of þe herte. 1601 R. Hakluyt tr. A. Galvano Discov. World 18 The Island of S.Helena, being a small spot of land standing in the maine Ocean. 1662 H. Hibbert Body Divinity I. 284 The whole course of life is but..a little spot of time between two eternities. 1696 N. Tate & N. Brady New Version Psalms of David ciii. 208 As high as Heav'n its Arch extends, Above this little Spot of Clay. 1789 tr. Palladas in Epigrams from Greek 73 How measure you earth's boundaries, say, Yourself so small a spot of clay? 1800 W. Wordsworth Ruth in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads II. 107 As quietly as spots of sky Among the evening clouds. 1850 G. Cupples Green Hand vii. 83/2 'Twas no use looking as yet for a spot of room. 1885 D. C. Murray Rainbow Gold I. i. ii. 42 A little spot of rum, William, with a squeeze of lemon in it. 1924 D. B. W. Lewis At Sign of Blue Moon 272 What about a spot of lunch? 1942 Rotarian Feb. 8/1 A spot of tea or coffee and some sweets go a long way with a tired fighting man. 1959 H. Hamilton Answer in Negative iv. 52 The police will be coming..to deal with a spot of trouble. 1979 D. Smith Cookery Course II. 445 Taste and season with salt and freshly-milled black pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, plus a spot more lemon juice. 2011 Daily Tel. 5 Sept. 22/4 A spot of bother with some rebels in Benghazi, a faint suggestion that his regime might be in trouble. b. colloquial (Australian, New Zealand, South African, and British). A serving of liquor or other alcoholic drink. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > [noun] > a drink of > small drink snack1685 smack1693 drop1699 tiff1727 toothfula1774 caulker1808 caulk1834 nobbler1842 spot1917 1917 in J. Phillips et al. Great Adventure (1988) 180 The rumour [of whiskey available] had..a foundation of fact so we gave them a ‘spot’ each. 1936 P. G. Wodehouse Laughing Gas ix. 90 May I offer you a spot?.. I can recommend the Scotch. 1995 B. Anderson House Guest 44 George had always asked the neighbours in for a ‘spot’ at Christmas. 2001 C. Hope Heaven Forbid xix. 180 They sat at the bar, on the oak stools, and poured a couple of spots, and they clinked glasses. 24. Chiefly with of. A relatively small piece of ground within a larger area; a plot of land. Also in extended use. [Compare note in etymology section on place-name evidence.] ΘΚΠ the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [noun] > that which is small > a small space or extent spana1400 spota1450 specka1552 pocket handkerchief1866 a1450 York Plays (1885) 317 A spotte of erthe for to by, wayte nowe I will, To berie in pilgrimes. 1578 in P. J. Anderson Charters & Writs Royal Burgh Aberdeen (1890) 339 Ordanis the spott of brunt land on the south syd of the mos of the Gardyne to ly ley in commontie. 1677 W. Hubbard Narr. Troubles with Indians New-Eng. ii. 1 Some Spots and Skirts of more desireable Land upon the Banks of some Rivers. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. 108 Lab'ring well his little Spot of Ground. View more context for this quotation 1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. ii. vii. 129 Whoever could make..two Blades of Grass to grow upon a spot of Ground [etc.]. 1779 T. Forrest Voy. New Guinea 122 Off the rock of Sipsipa, are three spots of breakers,..one without another. 1845 J. Coulter Adventures Pacific v. 42 Nearly at the summit..there is a spot of excellent land, of four or five acres in extent. 1891 M. E. Wilkins Humble Romance 53 The products of his garden spot were his staple articles of food. 1935 Washington Post 16 Jan. 9/7 The spot of ground..where Gen. Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded..is to be one of the most beautiful places in the battlefield area. 1988 P. Wayburn Adventuring in Alaska (rev. ed.) ii. 169 The sourdoughs simply took over, threw up their shacks, and rigged tents wherever they could find a spot of vacant ground. 2009 Callaloo 32 1137 Each of them sat looking down as if rooted to that spot of earth. B. adv. Stock Market. As traded immediately; at immediate cash rates. Cf. sense A. 17, on the spot adv. 3. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > payment > [adverb] > immediate or cash down?a1425 on the nail1569 spot1855 1855 Commerc. Daily List (London) 27 Mar. Tallow.—A good demand for the Continent, and a firm market, spot new 48s, old 46s 3d; April 48s to 47s 9d. 1884 York Herald 23 Aug. 7/2 Linseed oil rather firmer; spot and up to the end of the year 18s 7½d. 1900 Daily News 13 June 2/3 Silver remained nominally at 27⁵/ ₈d. per ounce spot, and 27 9-16d. forward. 1979 ‘D. Meiring’ Foreign Body xviii. 193 In fact we're already putting about half that through..but buying our crude spot. 2004 E. Clark & D. K. Ghosh Arbitrage, Hedging & Speculation 75 The number of foreign currency units to be bought spot and invested at the foreign riskless rate. Phrases P1. Phrases with prepositions. a. (a) colloquial (originally U.S.). in a spot and variants: in a difficult or tricky situation. Cf. earlier in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot at sense A. 15. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > [phrase] > in a difficult position > in straits waterOE straitly steadc1400 need-stead?c1450 at the worst hand1490 in suds1575 lock1598 at a bad hand1640 in a wood1659 in bad bread1743 up a stump1829 in a tight (also awkward, bad, etc.) spot1851 up shit creek1868 in the cart1889 in the soup1889 out on a limb1897 in a spot1929 up the creek1941 consommé1957 1929 Bookman Feb. 622/1 So the heavy yanks up the rope ladder, and he's got the girl in a spot. 1963 Washington Post 26 Oct. c1/4 We are opposed to young people smoking, but frankly we feel we are in quite a spot. 1963 ‘F. W. Dixon’ Hunting for Hidden Gold (rev. ed.) xvi. 143 Now he's really got us in a spot. 2001 D. Bischoff Farscape: Ship of Ghosts (2002) iii. 44 It would seem that Moya has got herself in a bit of a spot. (b) U.S. colloquial. in spots: in some ways, to some extent. Also: intermittently, in snatches; occasionally. ΘΚΠ the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adverb] > sometimes or occasionally whiloma900 whilea1000 stoundmealc1000 stundumOE otherwhileOE umquhile1154 with and withc1175 by stoundsa1225 otherwhilesc1225 umbestound?c1225 umbewhilec1230 then and thenc1275 sometime…sometime1297 umstounda1300 by while13.. over while13.. sometime1340 umbe throwea1350 at timesa1382 now and again (also anon, eft, now)a1393 umbwhile1393 eftsoona1398 sometimea1400 by sithesc1400 umbestoundsc1400 from time to (formerly unto) time1423 now and (also or) then1445 ever now and nowa1470 when and whenc1470 occasionallya1475 in timesa1500 whiles?a1500 whilomsa1500 sometimes1526 somewhiles1528 at whiles1540 ever now and then1542 a-whiles1546 somewhiles…, somewhiles1547 at sometimes1548 now and thenc1550 ever and anon1558 by occasions1562 on (also upon) occasion1562 as soon…as soon1581 every now and then (also again)1642 by a time1721 once and a while1765 ever and again1788 periodically1825 in spots1851 1851 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin in National Era 25 Sept. 1/4 Mammy has a kind of obstinacy about her, in spots, that everybody don't see as I do. 1859 J. R. Bartlett Dict. Americanisms (ed. 2) 437 A boatman on the Mississippi, being asked how he managed to secure sleeping time, answered, ‘I sleep in spots’; that is, at intervals, by snatches. 1872 M. S. De Vere Americanisms 636 The phrase ‘He is clever in spots’, gives a man credit for fragmentary ability. 1940 R. Chandler Farewell, my Lovely xvii. 108 A big strong guy... Soft-hearted in spots too. 1986 G. Paulsen Sentries vii. 36 David dozed in spots, caught little bits of sleep here and there and let Deleon's talk wash over him. 2009 N.Y. Times 20 Dec. (Sports section) 1/3 The Washington Wizards are experimenting without them [sc. morning shoot-arounds], though only in spots. b. colloquial. off the spot. †(a) Prone to error, out of form; inaccurate, imperfect. Cf. on the spot adv. 4b. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1866 Bell's Life in London 4 Aug. 3/5 Mr Ash..is of use when hitting is wanted, and when Arkwright is off the spot and no one else in particular on it. 1886 Athenæum 27 Mar. 420/3 Mr. Lang's new book could have been written by nobody but Mr. Lang... It is his in its tendency to be ‘off the spot’ and to make mistakes. 1905 Academy 21 Oct. 1091/2 Mr. Greenwood made many corrections..and I never met any one who could more invariably place his finger, or rather his blue pencil, on anything that was off the spot. 1916 Burlington Mag. Apr. 37/2 There might be some positive good [in the theatre]..that might even justify his being a bit off the spot next day. (b) Originally U.S. No longer in a difficult or pressurized situation; out of trouble. Frequently in to get off the spot. Cf. on the spot adv. 6b. ΚΠ 1931 Idaho Evening Times 11 Dec. 8/1 Boys! Suppose you were making love to a girl—and a man bigger than Carnera came up and said you had to keep your promise to marry his sister—what would you do?.. See Hoot Gibson, the ‘Hard Hombre’ get off the spot. 1966 D. R. McCoy Landon of Kansas vii. 158 Landon was not yet off the spot. By the end of the month newspapers were carrying stories about a check for $10,046.67 from Ronald Finney made out to Mrs. Landon. 2007 Daily News (N.Y.) (Nexis) 25 Feb. 33 She pulled the race card out of her bag of dirty tricks... It was a moment of pander and panic, designed to get her off the spot. c. (a) Stock Market. on spot: as traded immediately; at immediate cash rates; = on the spot adv. 3. Now rare. ΚΠ 1861 Commerc. Daily List (London) 19 Sept. 4/4 Candle on spot and early delivery are 47s 6d to 48s; for late periods 48s to 48s 3d per cwt. 1890 Pharmaceut. Rec. 3 Mar. 95/1 Borax is growing quite scarce on spot, and Camphor is very firm. 1922 Drug & Chem. Markets 15 Feb. 400/1 The position of quicksilver on spot is somewhat firmer this week. 2000 B. Seyoum Export-import Theory, Pract. & Procedures x. 188 It [sc. the exporter] can wait until December and then sell francs on spot. (b) on the spot, man on the spot, to put on the spot: see on the spot adv. d. upon the spot. (a) Then and there, straight away, at once; = on the spot adv. 1.Often the sense ‘at that very location’ is also present to some degree, and so this use may overlap with the sense in Phrases 1d(b). ΚΠ 1651 J. Cleveland Poems (Wing C4684) 3 Then have at all, the pass is got, For coming off, oh name it not: Who would not die upon the spot. 1686 tr. J. Chardin Trav. Persia 229 Had I drank as much as my neighbours, I had dy'd upon the spot. 1747 B. Kennicott Two Diss. ii. 168 Cain, had he only been with his Brother, would certainly have slain him upon the spot. 1783 W. Marsden Hist. Sumatra 193 This sum shall, when the marriage takes place, be paid upon the spot. 1819 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 18 Dec. 449 The next best thing to being able to answer upon the spot, is, to be able to answer the next day. 1880 Tinsley's Mag. Nov. 471/1 All the prisoners taken are to be shot upon the spot. 1922 L. V. Rule Pioneering in Masonry xv. 210 Working himself in a perfect frenzy over the thought of losing his money, he died upon the spot. 1969 Church Hist. 38 352 He taught that ministers should aim at and expect the regeneration of sinners upon the spot, before they left the church. 2011 Evening Gaz. (Middlesbrough) (Nexis) 13 Sept. 17 This was a poor, panicked decision made upon the spot. (b) At the very place or locality in question; at the scene of the event; = on the spot adv. 2. ΚΠ 1655 F. G. tr. ‘G. de Scudéry’ Artamenes V. ix. ii. 121 An object both terrible and glorious, both was to be seen in the wood, for eight or ten men might be seen dead upon the spot. 1699 R. Bentley Diss. Epist. Phalaris (new ed.) 209 The Prizes..for those that perform'd best, were ready upon the spot, and made part of the Procession. 1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 361 The two Merchants..who liv'd just upon the Spot, and who..were very rich. 1741 R. Challoner Mem. Missionary Priests I. Pref. sig. A2^v Grave contemporary Writers, informed by such as were upon the Spot, or themselves Eye-witnesses, of what they write. 1779 T. Paine in Pennsylvania Packet 14 Sept. 2/3 He is now upon the spot and can any day demand an hearing of Congress. 1834 A. Greaves Æsop, Junior, in Amer. vii. 9 Did you so? cried the Hog, who was still upon the spot. 1883 W. E. Norris No New Thing II. xv. 50 She..drove over to Broom Leas in state,..feeling that at least it would be a satisfaction to her to be upon the spot. ?1906 E. S. Ellis & C. F. Horne Story of Greatest Nations (new ed.) IV. lxvi. 664 He had been upon the spot and knew the magnitude of the disaster that had befallen the oppressor. 1952 Illustr. London News 8 Nov. 754/3 Skill and training..have to be imported because they are not to be found upon the spot. 2015 Western Morning News (Nexis) 23 May (Property section) The stone with which it [sc. the hotel] was built came from the hill on which it stood and was carved and formed upon the spot. e. without spot. (a) Morally unstained, without moral defects; free from sin; pure.Frequently paired with wrinkle, blemish, or blame, with allusion to biblical passages such as Ephesians 5:27 (see e.g. quot. c1390). ΚΠ c1390 W. Hilton Expos. Qui habitat & Bonum Est (1954) 85 Holy chirche is whit in grace, with-outen spot or wrinkel. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 609 Goodlihiede and innocence Withouten spot of eny blame. c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) v. l. 2151 (MED) Þer herd he first of Penolope, His trewe wyf, with-oute spot or blame. a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) xiv. §2. 50 He that ingase withouten spot and wirkis rightwisnes. 1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Svpper of the Lorde f. cxxvi^v Without spot of sinne. 1580 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1880) 1st Ser. III. 281 His guidsire..and himself..hes faithfullie servit his Hienes..without spot or reproche. 1611 Bible (King James) 1 Tim. vi. 14 Keepe this commandement without spot . View more context for this quotation 1633 W. Prynne Histrio-mastix ii. v. 978 Be diligent that yee may be found of God in peace, without spot and blamelesse. 1782 W. Cowper Expostulation in Poems 116 Thy services once holy without spot, Mere shadows now. 1821 P. B. Shelley Adonais xlv. 22 Sublimely mild, a Spirit without spot. 1877 Spirit of Times 24 Nov. 439/2 A character for integrity and honor without spot or blemish. 1907 Brotherhood Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen's Mag. May 695/1 He is also a man of good moral character, his past record and reputation generally being without spot or blemish. 1989 P. Fussell Wartime xii. 166 Anyone on the Allied side could easily be conceived of as without spot. 2001 Times 10 May 17/2 The Left is hardly without spot itself. (b) Physically unblemished, not stained; flawless, perfect. ΚΠ c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 24 (MED) O moul, þou marrez a myry iuele, My priuy perle wythouten spotte. 1517 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure (1928) xxxviii. 197 Full lyke the golde that is moost pure and fyne Withouten spotte of blacke encombremente. ?1562 W. Ward tr. R. Roussat Most Excellent Bk. Doctour & Astrologien Arcandam sig. P.vi.^v When they [sc. the eyes] shyne much and be without spotte, it is a token of goodnes. 1656 T. Jenner Path of Life 43 Their apparell is with pure linnen without spot. 1761 J. Richie Crit. Mod. Notion Sacrifices ii. 136 Among the Jews, all lambs that were without spot and blemish, or bodily imperfection, were precious lambs, or lambs of value and worth. 1869 H. B. Stowe Oldtown Folks v. 55 Her Sunday bonnet was without spot, her Sunday gown without wrinkle. 1919 S. Graham Private in Guards iii. 91 The rifle had to be luminous, the bayonet unimpeachable, the trousers creased correctly, the tunic without spot. 1993 S. Marshall Nest of Magpies xix. 160 Her skin, wrinkled though it was, had the texture of youth still insofar as it was without spot or blemish and innocent of make-up. P2. Other phrases. a. spot of work: a task, a job of work, esp. one that is large or difficult; a product of this. Frequently with (ironic) modifying word, as fine, pretty, etc. Cf. piece of work n. at piece n. Phrases 4. Now rare (somewhat dated in later use). ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > duties > [noun] > piece of work or task workOE notec1400 turnc1480 piece of work1533 job1557 employment1579 task1597 spot of work1689 day job1798 number1928 1689 Appeal to Men New-Eng. 11 Whether it would not be a fine spot of work..to restore them to their former places? 1697 W. Nicholls Conf. with Theist: Pt. II 147 If Naylor had been to write the Book of Genesis, he would have made an otherguise spot of work of it than Moses has. 1714 S. Centlivre Wonder iii. 30 Zounds she here! I have made a fine spot of Work on't. 1777 C. Dibdin Quaker i. ii. 5 A very pretty spot of work this! 1822 W. Scott Fortunes of Nigel III. iii. 87 Here is a bonny spot of work, and me alone, and on foot too! 1889 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Feb. 247/2 If Oates had but known, he would have cut out a fine spot of work for me. 1945 F. Sargeson in Speaking for Ourselves 115 Hello Jack, I said, doing a spot of work?.. Yes Tom, he said, I'm doing a job. 1997 Guardian 11 June (G2 section) 3/3 Wherever a spot of work was to be done, a mine to be mined, a hole to be dug, [etc.]. b. With preceding numeral, as two-spot, five-spot, ten-spot, etc. (a) colloquial (chiefly U.S.). A playing card having the specified number of pips. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > others twoa1500 cater1519 single ten1595 ten1595 eight1598 four1599 nine1599 six1599 seven1656 deuce1674 five1674 trey1680 spot1830 four-spot1878 two-spot1885 five-spot1913 ten-spot ladybird- 1830 Constellation (N.Y.) 23 Oct. The two spot plays the deuce with you; and if you trust the three, you are likely to be be-tray-ed. 1873 J. H. Beadle Undeveloped West iv. 92 The ace is your winning card. The eight and ten spot win for me. 1913 C. E. Mulford Coming of Cassidy vii. 118 As the Queen slid off a five-spot showed. 1976 Washington Post 19 Apr. b8/3 South won the opening trump lead with his ten-spot. 2009 N. R. Werthamer Risk & Reward i. 5 A three-spot has the value three. (b) U.S. slang. A note worth the specified number of dollars. ace-spot n. a one-dollar bill; cf. ace n.¹ 5. V-spot n. a five-dollar bill; cf. V n. 4b. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > paper money > foreign banknotes > [noun] > U.S. > five-dollar bill V-note1837 V-spot1838 finnip1839 fiver1843 five-spot1896 fin1925 pound1928 1838 Boston Morning Post 22 May His Honor..‘lent’ him the use of the Jail..till he can get some friend to fork over a ‘V.’ and ‘Two Spot’, together with the cost of prison-grub, and turnkey's fees. 1848 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers 1st Ser. viii. 103 I vow my holl sheer o' the spiles wouldn't come nigh a V spot. 1896 Sun (N.Y.) 16 Feb. iii. 2/7 But one single dollar remained of that five spot. 1921 P. Casey & T. Casey Gay-cat ix. 92 He fumbled..in his trousers pocket. ‘It's not much—only an ace spot.’.. It was a dollar bill. 1971 B. Malamud Tenants 153 Hi, sugar, I took a ten-spot out of your loose change. 2006 Time Out N.Y. 17 Aug. 28/2 A side of sweet plantains for a ten-spot. (c) slang (originally and chiefly U.S. Criminals' slang). A term of imprisonment of the specified number of years. Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > authority > punishment > imprisonment > [noun] > sentence or term of time1790 lagging1819 stretch1821 model1845 birdlime1857 penal1864 prison sentence1867 rap1870 bit1871 spot1895 hard time1896 sleep1911 jolt1912 bird1924 fall1926 beef1928 trick1933 porridge1950 custodial sentence1951 1895 N.-Y. Times 4 Aug. 19/7 Say billy i think i am ditched this time. i think i am good for a five spot. 1907 J. London Road 84 He had never been in the particular penitentiary to which we were going, but he had done ‘one-’, ‘two-’, and ‘five-spots’ in various other penitentiaries (a ‘spot’ is a year). 1966 ‘M. Brewer’ Man against Fear x. 105 He was serving a three spot for conning. When he was in the stir he got into a row with one of the warders. c. colloquial (originally U.S., now chiefly British). to knock (the) spots off and variants: to beat thoroughly; to outdo easily. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > outdoing or surpassing > outdo or surpass [verb (transitive)] > surpass or beat whip1571 overmaster1627 to give (one) fifteen and a bisque1664 to beat (all) to nothing1768 beatc1800 bang1808 to beat (also knock) all to sticks1820 floga1841 to beat (a person, a thing) into fits1841 to beat a person at his (also her, etc.) own game1849 to knock (the) spots off1850 lick1890 biff1895 to give a stone and a beating to1906 to knock into a cocked hat1965 the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > overcome or defeat > soundly threshc1384 to knock the socks offa1529 thump1597 thrash1609 thwacka1616 capot1649 to beat to snuff1819 to knock into a cocked hat1830 to —— (the) hell out of1833 sledgehammer1834 rout1835 whop1836 skin1838 whip-saw1842 to knock (the) spots off1850 to make mincemeat of1853 to mop (up) the floor with1875 to beat pointless1877 to lick into fits1879 to take apart1880 to knock out1883 wax1884 contund1885 to give (a person) fits1885 to wipe the floor with1887 flatten1892 to knock (someone) for six1902 slaughter1903 slather1910 to hit for six1937 hammer1948 whomp1952 bulldozer1954 zilch1957 shred1966 tank1973 slam-dunk1975 beast1977 1850 Star of North (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 26 Dec. He says it will knock the spots off of any thing ever heard tell of. 1887 F. Francis Saddle & Mocassin 152 She can knock the spots out of these boys at that game. 1905 Omaha Illustr. Bee 23 Apr. 8/4 One of them taken internally will knock the spots from any case of malaria in the state. 1990 Élan 11 May 13/1 Paris now has about 150 café theatres. In sheer numbers this knocks spots off London's fringe theatre and New York's off-off-off Broadway. 2004 Opera News Apr. 14/1 McNair's..recording of Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 knocks the spots off most of the competition. d. colloquial (originally U.S.). to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot: (esp. of food or drink) to be exactly what is required, to satisfy perfectly.to hit the spot is now the most common form. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > efficacy > be efficacious [verb (intransitive)] workOE availa1400 makea1400 prevaila1400 to hit the nail upon (or on) the headc1450 effect1592 serve1593 to tickle it1601 take1611 executea1627 to have force (to do)1713 answer1721 to take place1789 to do the trick1819 to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot1836 produce1881 to press (also push) the button1890 to come through1906 to turn the trick1933 to make a (also the) point1991 the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [verb (intransitive)] > be satisfactory or what is required to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot1836 the mind > emotion > pleasure > contentment or satisfaction > be contented or satisfied [verb (intransitive)] > give contentment or satisfaction to make or do asseth1340 satisfya1513 syth1513 satiate1645 to hit (also go to, touch, etc.) the spot1836 1836 N.-Y. Evangelist 27 Feb. 34/2 Even if we pass this resolution, it will not heal the wound. It does not touch the spot. 1868 Putnam's Mag. June 670/1 ‘I hope that last corjul set you up?’ ‘Yes, Mr. Plunkitt, it went right to the spot.’ 1908 ‘O. Henry’ Voice of City 235 Oh, pass the bottle... That hits the spot... My first drink in three months. 1923 W. Nutting Massachusetts Beautiful 241 Did ever a dish of apple dowdy go to the spot like that? 1976 ‘E. McBain’ Guns (1977) vii. 194 Colley would love a drink... A gin and tonic would hit the spot. 2013 Guardian 2 Nov. (Weekend Suppl.) 67/3 An easy-drinking South African blend of cinsault, Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, should hit the spot. e. to change one's spots: see change v. Phrases 1g. f. to see spots: to see small patches of light, darkness, or colour in one's field of vision. Cf. sense A. 10. ΚΠ 1916 Washington Post 30 Apr. ms2/5 He had been ‘seeing spots’, and having other trouble with his eyes. 1976 Family Health July 14/3 (heading) Seeing spots... When I close my eyes in bed at night, I see clouds of different colors. 1999 Weekly World News 16 Nov. 46/2 Don't worry about seeing spots—almost everyone does sooner or later, says a top eye specialist. 2004 Ottawa Citizen (Nexis) 2 Sept. b3 Malbrough is still seeing spots after suffering a serious scratch to his left eye last week against Edmonton. Compounds C1. attributive. a. Designating an item of clothing, piece of fabric, etc., decorated with spots; spotted. ΚΠ 1791 World 7 June A corbeau and purple spot silk dress coat. 1886 W. Smith Morley vi. 118 The poorest of the female villagers were generally dressed in a bedgown of blue spot print. 1987 Sun Herald (Sydney) (Nexis) 11 Oct. 148 A young thing in short spot dress and flying saucer hat. 2013 S. O'Connor Perfect Party Dresses 79 Spot fabric lines the piped coordinating jacket. †b. With the sense ‘of or relating to the weaving of spotted textiles’, as spot heddle, spot leaf, spot thread, spot treadle, etc. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1806 J. Austin in Trans. Soc. Arts 24 94 They [sc. looms] may be mounted with a harness, or spot heddles, to weave any pattern, twilled, striped, &c. 1809 A. Rees Cycl. (1819) XII. at Draught and Cording of Looms The spot threads between them [are represented] by marks in the intervals. 1809 A. Rees Cycl. (1819) XII. at Draught and Cording of Looms The spot-treddles, on the left-hand, work the row contained in the first six spot-leaves. c. Astronomy. In sense A. 1c, esp. with reference to sunspots, as spot cycle, spot group, spot position, etc. See also spot map n. (a) at Compounds 5. ΚΠ 1860 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 4th Ser. 20 272 I have failed in finding out some configuration of the planets to account for the spot-cycle of 11.1 years. 1877 G. F. Chambers Handbk. Descr. Astron. (ed. 3) i. i. 30 At epochs of minimum spot-display. 1885 A. M. Clerke Pop. Hist. Astron. 200 The absolute depth of spot-cavities..was determined by Father Secchi. 1903 A. M. Clerke Probl. Astrophysics 92 It is commonly taken for granted that the widened lines constitute the spot-spectra. 1926 H. C. Macpherson Mod. Astron. iii. 45 A relation between high-rotation speeds and spot-development. 1968 Jrnl. Brit. Astron. Assoc. 78 479 The associated spot group..was inconspicuous. 2013 Monthly Notices Royal Astron. Soc. 15 Mar. 2/1 There is no evidence for any strong latitudinal dependence of spot position from Doppler images. d. Stock Market. With the sense ‘of or relating to commodities or assets traded immediately; of, for, or relating to transactions with immediate settlement’, as spot market, spot parcel, spot price, spot rate, spot sale, etc.; cf. sense A. 17. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > payment > [adjective] > for immediate cash payment spot1861 1861 Manch. Guardian 20 Sept. 2/2 Nitrate of soda.—Spot price. 13s. to 14s. 6d. 1881 Standard 14 Sept. 4/7 The ‘spot’ transactions..form the smallest proportion of the operations of the market. 1887 Daily News 16 July 6/8 Spot parcels continue in good demand, and prices steady. 1939 Sun (Baltimore) 12 Dec. 17/6 As the price of tin for future delivery advanced..local cash or spot market prices declined slightly. 1956 Ann. Reg. 1955 436 Dealings in lire were restricted to the spot market. The Bank of England began the publication of official spot T.T. rates for lire. 1982 Daily Tel. 3 Aug. 13/2 Saudi oil is being traded on the spot market at up to $3 a barrel discount. 2000 Business Day (S. Afr.) 26 Jan. 25/3 New York spot gold closed at $286,05 from Monday's $287,75. 2008 Amer. Jrnl. Agric. Econ. 90 947/1 Spot sales tend to occur at lower mine-mouth prices than coal sold under either short- or long-term contracts. e. Journalism (originally U.S.). Designating a news report or account made at the scene of an action or event; of or relating to such reports; on-the-spot. Esp. in spot news, spot report. ΘΚΠ society > communication > journalism > journal > matter of or for journals > [noun] > item > news item > others ship news1712 splash1810 local1854 spot news1893 1893 Daily Jrnl. (Logansport, Indiana) 9 Nov. That statement was what newspaper men call ‘spot news’ to your correspondent. 1937 Amarillo (Texas) Sunday News-Globe 7 Feb. 5/5 The spot newscast, news broadcast from the source of the happening. 1966 Illustr. Weekly India 24 July 57/1 He also jogged me down the steps, when I was trying to hold the microphone near the Beatles, to get a ‘spot’ interview as they came down. 1976 National Observer (U.S.) 15 May 2/3 Other Pulitzer winners were: Sydney Schanberg of the New York Times, international reporting;..and the staff of the Chicago Tribune, spot-news reporting. 1994 Atlanta Jrnl. Constit. (Nexis) 30 Dec. p21 WXIA staffers..provide live coverage from Underground Atlanta, and spot reports from New Year's parties around Atlanta. 2012 G. H. Stempel in R. Isard & J. Perkins Covering Disaster ii. 22 Nine-tenths of NBC's coverage was on the scene, including the three categories of spot reporter, spot scene, and spot interviews. f. With the sense ‘made, carried out, etc., then and there’, as spot decision, spot fine, etc., and also with the sense ‘conducted without warning, esp. on a representative sample’. Cf. on the spot adv. 1.See also spot inspection n., spot test n. (b) at Compounds 5, and spot check n. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > [noun] > made on the spot spot decision1915 society > authority > punishment > fine > [noun] > to be paid immediately spot fine1976 1915 6th Ann. Rep. Board Supervising Engineers Chicago Traction iii. x. 438 The necessity of an average rather than a ‘spot’ count of single carloads as a proper basis for service. 1921 Z. Cope Early Diagnosis Acute Abdomen i. 3 Spot-diagnosis is impressive but unsafe. 1953 Times 29 July 6/6 He said that the ‘spot scrutiny’ of vehicles..was one of the best ways of identifying those which should not be on the roads. 1959 Economist 21 Mar. 1047/1 He may now be obliged to make spot decisions with inadequate notice in highly controversial circumstances. 1976 Wymondham & Attleborough Express 17 Dec. 2/1 Prosecution is a waste of time of already crowded courts, so what about spot fines for these moronic motor maniacs. 1979 H. S. Kent In on Act xxii. 247 I would often be glad of a ‘spot opinion’ on one of my new problems. 2002 Barron's 19 Aug. 35/1 If the software passes muster, the IRS will use it as part of..an annual spot-audit of 50,000 random taxpayers. C2. attributive and objective, with the sense ‘that covers or treats pimples’, as spot concealer, spot cream, spot stick, etc.; cf. sense A. 1a. ΚΠ 1948 Cosmopolitan Feb. 27/2 A veritable alchemist's warehouse of such materials: soaps, unguents, eyewashes, paints, rouges, lipsticks, mascaras, eye shadows, spot concealers, pencils, [etc.]. 1979 Irish Times 3 Aug. 10/3 Spirits of Camphor, an ingredient of most spot creams, is the cheapest and best remedy. 1988 T. Goodman & S. Young Smart Face 106 Disguise a blemish by dabbing on a medicated coverup (such as Clearasil Tinted Cream..or Stickor Shiseido Pureness Spot Cream). 1997 Daily Mail 27 Mar. 44/4 Conceal spots not with a traditional opaque spot-stick but with the latest generation of light-reflecting concealers. 1999 in D. Bolger Ladies' Night at Finbar's (2000) 18 Looking through his wife's friend's private things..her spot concealer, her Super-Plus tampons, her pills. 2007 Daily Mirror (Nexis) 17 Apr. 36 If you suffer from acne then you've probably tried every spot treatment going. 2014 Cleo (Malaysia) Mar. 3 (advt.) Blanc Expert..intensive specialist spot eraser. C3. Parasynthetic, chiefly in the names of birds and mammals, as spot-billed, spot-necked, spot-tailed.See also spot-winged adj. at Compounds 5. ΚΠ 1713 J. Petiver Aquatilium Animalium Amboinæ 1/2 Smooth spot-lipt Casket. 1811 G. Shaw Gen. Zool. VIII. i. 244 Spot-eared Creeper. 1905 Westm. Gaz. 9 Oct. 6/3 The spot-billed toucanet (Seleindera maculirostris), now to be seen..at the ‘Zoo’. 1956 Nature 10 Mar. 445/2 Spot-necked otter. 2013 I. Campbell & S. Woods Wildlife Austral. 40 The largest species, the Spot-tailed Quoll, is the only species that has a spotted tail. C4. Adverbial, with the sense ‘so as to target a small area or definite point on a surface’. a. With verbs, as spot clean, spot treat, etc. ΚΠ 1910 Atlantic (Iowa) Daily Tel. 4 Apr. 2 (advt.) We do not mearly [sic] ‘spot clean’ your garments; every thread of the fabric is thoroughly cleaned and freshened up by our process. 1942 S. Aitken in 34th Ann. Rep. Oregon State Hort. Soc. 33 We spot sprayed about ⅓ of the Newtown acreage with 2% and entirely eliminated all fruit on the areas of the trees sprayed. 1999 BBC Gardeners' World Apr. 24/2 Spot treat greenfly, especially on plum trees, before infestations become out of control. 2013 Wall St. Jrnl. 14 Dec. d11/6 A swarm of 908 airborne ‘mini-robots’..scout your home from above and then drop down to spot clean dirty surfaces. b. With nouns, as spot cleaning, spot treatment, etc. ΚΠ 1924 C. C. Hubbard Instructor in Garment Cleaning xii. 228 Spot dyeing, as its name implies, is a process..in which a small portion of a garment..is restored to its uniform color by applying a suitable dye to such portion or fabric. 1955 Pop. Mech. Dec. 228/2 Generally it's necessary to bleach an old floor all over in order to obtain a uniform color. Spot-bleaching is seldom satisfactory. 1993 Garden Answers May 33/2 Spot treatment with a spray or painting it on in gel form is easier than digging roots out! 2016 Washington Post (Nexis) 18 Feb. t3 It looks like the rug has either been stained (and then someone tried to do a little spot cleaning) or simply gotten wet. c. With participial adjectives, as spot cleaned, spot treated, etc. ΚΠ 1939 Jrnl. Pomol. & Hort. Sci. 16 340 No residual effect on spot-sprayed trees was noticed in the third year after spraying. 1974 Proc. 27th N.Z. Weed & Pest Control Conf. 90 Trials have been conducted to determine the amount of root regrowth from spot treated plants. 2006 Impressions Nov. 56/1 It dries the spot-cleaned garment quickly and helps eliminate the formation of rings. C5. spot ad n. (a) a print advertisement occupying a small space on a page; (b) Broadcasting (originally U.S.) a radio or television advertisement occupying a short break during or between programmes; = spot advertisement n. ΘΚΠ society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of news bulletin1857 news summary1875 police message1886 newsflash1904 headline1908 play-by-play1909 feature1913 spot ad1916 magazine1921 news1923 time signal1923 outside broadcast1924 radiocast1924 amateur hour1925 bulletin1925 serial1926 commentary1927 rebroadcast1927 school broadcast1927 feature programme1928 trailer1928 hour1930 schools broadcast1930 show1930 spot advertisement1930 spot announcement1930 sustaining1931 flash1934 newscast1934 commercial1935 clambake1937 remote1937 repeat1937 snap1937 soap opera1939 sportcast1939 spot commercial1939 daytimer1940 magazine programme1941 season1942 soap1943 soaper1946 parade1947 public service announcement1948 simulcasting1949 breakfast-time television1952 call-in1952 talkathon1952 game show1953 kidvid1955 roundup1958 telenovela1961 opt-out1962 miniseries1963 simulcast1964 soapie1964 party political1966 novela1968 phone-in1968 sudser1968 schools programme1971 talk-in1971 God slot1972 roadshow1973 trail1973 drama-doc1977 informercial1980 infotainment1980 infomercial1981 kideo1983 talk-back1984 indie1988 omnibus1988 teleserye2000 kidult- 1916 Printers' Ink 21 Sept. 49/2 The minute spot ad showing a man's head and a hand printing-press with the behest to ‘print your own’. 1934 J. Rorty Our Master's Voice Advertising 269 Canada prohibits the broadcasting of ‘spot ads’. 1974 Jrnl. Jewish Educ. 43 iv. 17/2 The print advertising schedule..included one full-page ad and 4 spot ads in the New York Times and New York Post. 2007 Vanity Fair June 98/3 We..face the dismal prospect of being bombarded by professional spot ads every time we turn on the radio or TV. spot advertisement n. (a) a print advertisement occupying a small space on a page; (b) Broadcasting (originally U.S.) a radio or television advertisement occupying a short break during or between programmes; cf. sense A. 19. ΘΚΠ society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of news bulletin1857 news summary1875 police message1886 newsflash1904 headline1908 play-by-play1909 feature1913 spot ad1916 magazine1921 news1923 time signal1923 outside broadcast1924 radiocast1924 amateur hour1925 bulletin1925 serial1926 commentary1927 rebroadcast1927 school broadcast1927 feature programme1928 trailer1928 hour1930 schools broadcast1930 show1930 spot advertisement1930 spot announcement1930 sustaining1931 flash1934 newscast1934 commercial1935 clambake1937 remote1937 repeat1937 snap1937 soap opera1939 sportcast1939 spot commercial1939 daytimer1940 magazine programme1941 season1942 soap1943 soaper1946 parade1947 public service announcement1948 simulcasting1949 breakfast-time television1952 call-in1952 talkathon1952 game show1953 kidvid1955 roundup1958 telenovela1961 opt-out1962 miniseries1963 simulcast1964 soapie1964 party political1966 novela1968 phone-in1968 sudser1968 schools programme1971 talk-in1971 God slot1972 roadshow1973 trail1973 drama-doc1977 informercial1980 infotainment1980 infomercial1981 kideo1983 talk-back1984 indie1988 omnibus1988 teleserye2000 kidult- 1930 Printers' Ink 24 July 122/1 The result was a series of ‘spot’ advertisements, appearing on the financial page of local newspapers. 1936 N.Y. Times 19 July x. 10/7 Sponsored programs and spot advertisements for Norwegian export articles will be used to finance the broadcasts. 1962 Rep. Comm. Broadcasting 1960 82 in Parl. Papers 1961–2 (Cmnd. 1753) X. 259 The principle of the control of advertising time applied only to ‘spot’ advertisements, and not in any analogous way to advertising magazines. 2006 Financial Times 13 Dec. 2 Teleshopping is regulated as a form of advertising, and general editorial channels are allowed to carry it in the form of short spot advertisements. 2007 Journalism Stud. 8 636 The magazines are usually self-funding, primarily through the sale of different kinds of advertising space (spot advertisements, advertorial and product placement, for example). spot advertising n. (a) the action or practice of advertising within a restricted market; the result of this; (b) the action or practice of advertising in a small space on a page or a short break in a broadcast; the result of this. ΘΚΠ society > communication > broadcasting > [noun] > broadcasting specific type of programme or item spot advertising1904 outside broadcasting1925 school broadcasting1926 newscasting1928 sportcasting1934 sportscasting1941 revival1955 pray-TV1957 trailing1961 radiovision1963 1904 Saddlery & Harness July 31/2 You can actually confine [bill-posting] to the neighbourhoods you most desire to reach... It is what may be termed ‘spot’ advertising. 1915 G. H. Perry in M. Thorpe Coming Newspaper 271 It gives us the opportunity of what we call ‘spot’ advertising, advertising that can be done in certain territories. 1961 Ann Reg. 1960 452 The amount of ‘spot’ advertising in the clock hour was to be reduced to 7½ minutes. 1979 Guardian 4 Aug. 8/7 If it [sc. ITV-2] may show only block not spot advertising, that is, more or less lengthy stretches of uninterrupted advertising. 1980 Statist. Abstr. U.S. 580 Spot advertising is considered time bought by a national advertiser on a selective market basis. 2005 Campaign 11 Feb. 10/2 Every time a household subscribes to Sky Plus, the power of old-fashioned spot advertising diminishes by another small yet inexorable fraction. spot announcement n. a radio or television announcement occupying a short break during or between programmes; cf. sense A. 19. ΘΚΠ society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of news bulletin1857 news summary1875 police message1886 newsflash1904 headline1908 play-by-play1909 feature1913 spot ad1916 magazine1921 news1923 time signal1923 outside broadcast1924 radiocast1924 amateur hour1925 bulletin1925 serial1926 commentary1927 rebroadcast1927 school broadcast1927 feature programme1928 trailer1928 hour1930 schools broadcast1930 show1930 spot advertisement1930 spot announcement1930 sustaining1931 flash1934 newscast1934 commercial1935 clambake1937 remote1937 repeat1937 snap1937 soap opera1939 sportcast1939 spot commercial1939 daytimer1940 magazine programme1941 season1942 soap1943 soaper1946 parade1947 public service announcement1948 simulcasting1949 breakfast-time television1952 call-in1952 talkathon1952 game show1953 kidvid1955 roundup1958 telenovela1961 opt-out1962 miniseries1963 simulcast1964 soapie1964 party political1966 novela1968 phone-in1968 sudser1968 schools programme1971 talk-in1971 God slot1972 roadshow1973 trail1973 drama-doc1977 informercial1980 infotainment1980 infomercial1981 kideo1983 talk-back1984 indie1988 omnibus1988 teleserye2000 kidult- 1930 Carpenter Apr. 46/1 The Carpenters District Council has consummated a contract with Radio Broadcasting Station W. L. B. F. Kansas City, Kansas, for..a spot announcement every morning between 7.30 and 8.30. 1949 Consumer Reports May 236/2 A ‘spot announcement’..can..be inserted between the close of one commercial program and the opening of the next. 1976 National Observer (U.S.) 3 July 13 To defend his position, Mr. Reagan taped a 1½ minute ‘spot’ announcement. 2008 Wall St. Jrnl. 3 Jan. b11 Young documentary filmmakers might want to make a ‘thirty-second informational spot announcement about some aspect of school procedures’. spot-barred adj. Billiards designating a format of play in which the number of consecutive spot strokes is limited; of or relating to such play. Now disused; see note at spot stroke n.Cf. quot. 1873 at sense A. 9c. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [adjective] > type of game spot-barred1874 three-cushion1910 1874 Morning Post 17 Mar. 3/4 (headline) Cook's Spot-barred Handicap. 1885 Rules Billiards §43 In a spot-barred game only one winning hazard is allowed to be made in the top pockets. 1910 Encycl. Brit. III. 937/2 In the modern spot-barred and push-barred game with a championship table, H. W. Stevenson in April 1904 made 788 against C. Dawson. 1950 Sunday News of India 9 July 12/7 A law..which laid down that only two red pots could be made off the ‘spot’..and so the spot-barred era followed. spot board n. Building a flat board, often set on a stand at table height, on which a batch of mixed plaster, cement, etc., may be placed conveniently for transfer to a hawk or hand board; cf. sense A. 11. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > [noun] > plasterer's tools > board or tray boss1542 hand board1688 hawk1700 spot board1877 spot1922 1877 M. M. Kirkman Railway Disbursem. ii. 30 Spot boards. 1931 W. Verrall in T. Corkhill Brickwork, Concrete & Masonry VIII. xxxi. 1940 The spot board, as it is sometimes called, is made of floor boards, about 3 ft. long, nailed together with cleats at the back. 2002 Compl. Bk. Garden Projects 70/3 Mix up the mortar either on a large board or in a cement mixer and tip it on to the spotboard. spot break n. Billiards a consecutive series of successful spot strokes; (also) the number of points thus scored; cf. break n.¹ 6a.Now disused; see note at spot stroke n. ΚΠ 1868 Bell's Life in London 19 Dec. 10/1 The Champion now came out in wonderful form, scoring..spot breaks of 15, 10, 24, 10, 18, 7, and 14. 1876 Country 13 July 45/1 A grandly played spot break of 510, in the manipulation of which he holed the red a hundred and sixty-nine times consecutively. 1936 Western Times 9 Apr. 12/1 Mr. D. W. Slee was awarded the prize in the spot-break competition. spot card n. originally U.S. a playing card between one (ace) and ten, a card that is not a face card. ΚΠ 1862 Newport (Rhode Island) Daily News 16 Apr. The Spot Cards are numbered from the Ace to the Ten Spot in each suit. 1909 T. N. Downs & J. N. Hilliard Art of Magic vi. 132 It is a spot card, is it not? I was sure of it. I am rarely mistaken on spot cards, and particularly when the card in question is the four of diamonds. 1983 T. Reese & D. Bird Bridge (1985) xvii. 173 Against expert opponents, who cast an eagle eye on every spot-card, more subtle brushwork may be needed. 2015 Daily News (S. Afr.) (Nexis) 24 June (Entertainment section) 7 He took advantage of the excellent spot cards in the trump suit. spot cash adv. and n. originally Stock Market (a) adv. immediately and in cash; cf. on the spot adv. 3; (b) n. money paid immediately and in cash. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > money > [noun] > ready money or cash ready money1429 argent-contentc1540 bitec1555 present money1572 chink1580 cash1600 bit1607 real money1675 fob?c1680 Darby1682 ready1684 blunt1819 makeready1830 hardshells1840 ante1843 spot cash1855 call money1856 necessary1897 1855 Bankers' Circular 20 Jan. 462/2 Spelter has improved in price 5s to 10s, and about 600 tons have been sold, spot cash at £25. 1879 Bradstreet's 8 Oct. 4/3 A business Utopia where credit shall be unknown and ‘spot cash’ an unvarying rule. 1897 M. H. Stine Niemans ix. 79 After the boom they offered these same lots for just one tenth of what they had paid for them ‘spot cash’. 1909 A. M. N. Lyons Sixpenny Pieces ii. 12 The spot-cash practitioners of Mile End Road are rather strange and foreign to us. 1957 V. Packard Hidden Persuaders xii. 131 After the car went on sale reports from dealers stated that 90 per cent of the people buying paid spot cash. 1972 Nassau County Hist. Soc. Jrnl. 32 ii. 4 John Haff ferried ice to High Hill Beach from Seaford..and sold it—spot cash—by the chunk. 1999 W. L. Heat Moon River Horse i. 27 Everything sold only for spot cash. spot colour n. (in offset printing) a colour produced by a single application of pure or mixed colour; contrasted with process colour. ΚΠ 1939 Standard Rate & Data Service Nov. 312/3 Spot color calls for artwork of simple design, with no overlapping colors, or separations. 1976 Caribbean Stud. 16 189 Among the equipment is a six-unit Crabtree rotary press capable of producing four color process work, and additional spot colors on a number of pages. 2002 P. Baines & A. Haslam Type & Typogr. v. 110/1 Specific colours for single, two-colour or three-colour printing are known as spot colours and are usually chosen from a colour matching system such as Pantone. spot commercial n. Broadcasting (originally U.S.) a radio or television advertisement occupying a short break during or between programmes; cf. spot advertisement n. (b). ΘΚΠ society > communication > broadcasting > a broadcast programme or item > [noun] > types of news bulletin1857 news summary1875 police message1886 newsflash1904 headline1908 play-by-play1909 feature1913 spot ad1916 magazine1921 news1923 time signal1923 outside broadcast1924 radiocast1924 amateur hour1925 bulletin1925 serial1926 commentary1927 rebroadcast1927 school broadcast1927 feature programme1928 trailer1928 hour1930 schools broadcast1930 show1930 spot advertisement1930 spot announcement1930 sustaining1931 flash1934 newscast1934 commercial1935 clambake1937 remote1937 repeat1937 snap1937 soap opera1939 sportcast1939 spot commercial1939 daytimer1940 magazine programme1941 season1942 soap1943 soaper1946 parade1947 public service announcement1948 simulcasting1949 breakfast-time television1952 call-in1952 talkathon1952 game show1953 kidvid1955 roundup1958 telenovela1961 opt-out1962 miniseries1963 simulcast1964 soapie1964 party political1966 novela1968 phone-in1968 sudser1968 schools programme1971 talk-in1971 God slot1972 roadshow1973 trail1973 drama-doc1977 informercial1980 infotainment1980 infomercial1981 kideo1983 talk-back1984 indie1988 omnibus1988 teleserye2000 kidult- 1939 Hammond (Indiana) Times 1 Feb. 5/3 It's a different program until it comes time to sell cereal—then it becomes..as cheaply low as a WWAE spot commercial. 1962 A. Nisbett Technique Sound Studio i. 18 He [sc. the announcer] also presents programme trailers and (in many countries outside Britain) spot commercials. 2011 National Post's Financial Post & FP Investing (Canada) (Nexis) 9 Apr. fp2 The 30-second spot commercial on television is still a powerful way to reach a mass audience watching the Super Bowl or Oscars. spot dance n. a dance competition in which couples move around the dance floor until the music stops, at which time the couple nearest a designated place on the floor wins.A spotlight may be used to indicate the designated place. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > dancing > types of dance or dancing > ballroom dancing > [noun] > others quickstep1793 turkey-trot1839 racket1880 Military Schottische1882 veleta1900 military two-step1911 one-step1911 spot dance1911 Paul Jones1914 foxtrot1915 foxtrotting1916 Maxina1917 Boston two-step1918 slow foxtrot1918 twinkle1920 camel-walk1921 Charleston1923 slop1962 1911 Chester (Pa.) Times 29 Nov. 3/1 A spot dance will be given in Pierson's Hall... A handsome gold bracelet will be given as first prize. 1947 Daily Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 4 Nov. 15/1 Spot dances, raffles, games and a grand floor show. 2002 W. Woodruff Road to Nab End (2003) 179 The spot-dance, especially when it was a waltz, was my favourite. The moment the main lights were switched off, and the spotlight was switched on, a hush fell on the room. spot dial n. now historical a sundial in which the time is indicated by the position of a spot, esp. a bright spot produced by sunlight shining through a hole or reflected from a mirror. ΘΚΠ the world > time > instruments for measuring time > [noun] > sundial chilindrec1386 dialc1425 sundial1555 clocka1562 cylinder1593 horoscope1623 compass-dial1632 moon dial1664 ring dial1667 heliotrope1669 pole-dial1669 sciatheric1682 spot dial1687 polar dial1688 sun clock1737 meridian ring1839 solarium1842 journey-ring1877 scratch dial1914 1687 G. Clark Spot-dial 5 The Spot-Dial is of two sorts; in the one the Lines go to a black Spot, in the other a bright Spot goes to the Lines. 1734 I. Watts Reliquiæ Juveniles lxvii. 295 On a Ceiling Dial, usually called a Spot-Dial. 1902 A. M. Earle Sun Dials & Roses Yesterday ii. 51 In a spot-dial you tell the hour by a mark of light instead of shadow. 1974 D. G. Fountain Isaac Watts Remembered vii. 67 In one of the rooms..was a ceiling or Spot Dial—an invention of Sir Isaac Newton—which consisted of a little mirror fixed in the floor so as to reflect the sun on to a dial marked on the ceiling. spot effect n. Broadcasting (chiefly in plural) a sound effect produced live during a broadcast or recording session. ΘΚΠ society > communication > broadcasting > putting on or producing broadcast > [noun] > background sound or effects atmosphere1941 spot effect1941 FX1954 Foley1973 1941 B.B.C. Gloss. Broadcasting Terms 31 Spot effects, effects created in a studio where the performance of which they form part is taking place. 1961 G. Millerson Technique Television Production i. 14 A spot-effects man sounds the horn of an ‘approaching car’. 2002 L. Purves Radio (2003) iv. 52 We were briefly instructed in the art of ‘spot effects’, in which rather than struggle with some damned gramophone you got to make the noises for a drama yourself, with bits of coconut and fake doors and gravel pits to crunch your footsteps in. † spot fairy n. Obsolete a variety of domestic pigeon; cf. spot pigeon n. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Columbiformes (pigeons, etc.) > domestic pigeon > [noun] > other types porcelainc1530 turn-pate1611 light horseman1661 runt1661 smiter1668 helmet1676 mammet1678 Cortbeck1688 turbit1688 turner1688 dragoon1725 finicking1725 Leghorn1725 nun1725 owl1725 petit1725 trumpeter1725 horseman1735 Mahomet1735 barbel1736 turn-tail1736 frill-back1765 blue rock1825 beard1826 ice pigeon1829 toy1831 black1839 skinnum1839 splash1851 whole-feather1851 spangle1854 swallow1854 shield1855 stork pigeon1855 Swabian1855 yellow1855 archangel1867 dragon1867 starling1867 magpie1868 smerle1869 bluette1870 cumulet1876 oriental1876 spot fairy1876 turbiteen1876 blondinette1879 hyacinth1879 Modena pigeon1879 silver-dun1879 silverette1879 silver-mealy1879 swift pigeon1879 Victoria1879 visor1879 ice1881 swallow pigeon1881 velvet fairy1881 priesta1889 frill1890 1876 Pet-stock, Pigeon & Poultry Bull. May 28/2 The Burmese or Florentine, the Starling, and the Spot Fairy;..all beautiful specimens of the German Toys. 1881 J. C. Lyell Fancy Pigeons 88 The stork..has been already described in a late publication, under the name of ‘Spot Fairy’. spot fire n. a fire ignited by a spark or a piece of burning wood carried from an initial fire (usually a forest fire) by the wind. ΚΠ 1924 N.Y. Times Mag. 2 Nov. 10/2 The flanks of the little grass fire angle outward with incredible swiftness, linking up with the ‘spot’ fires set to right and left by the whirling sparks. 1949 Public Admin. Rev. 9 224/1 Slugger needed plenty of help, but he was too busy chopping and clearing and fighting spot fires to know how little he was accomplishing. 1976 Billings (Montana) Gaz. 5 July 1 d/4 Acting Park Superintendent Alan Mebane said Sunday the fire fighters were still controlling spot fires in the east side. 2011 Jrnl. Tribune (Biddeford, Maine) 28 June a7/5 Laboratory officials said the wildfire sparked a spot fire on its property that was soon contained Monday. spotfish n. (originally) = sense A. 8b; (in recent use) (more fully pearl spotfish) the green chromide, Etroplus suratensis, an edible South Asian cichlid of fresh and brackish water. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > member of leiostomus xanthurus (spot) goody1855 spot1864 roach1873 spotfish1875 the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > seafood > [noun] > fish > other edible fish dogdrave1227 lamprey1297 lingc1300 loach1357 tench1390 carpc1440 rougetc1485 anchovy1582 pompano1598 tai1620 alewife1633 tug-whitingc1650 weakfish1686 ten-pounder1699 fire-flaira1705 tusk1707 porgy1725 katsuo1727 rockfish1731 tautog1750 sea bass1765 Albany beef1779 sable1810 Murray cod1843 paradise fish1858 spot1864 strawberry bass1867 nannygai1871 maomao1873 spotfish1875 strawberry perch1877 milkfish1880 tarwhine1880 tile-fish1881 latchett1882 tile1893 anago1895 flake1906 branzino1915 rascasse1921 lampuki1925 red fish1951 the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > genus Sciaena > sciaena ocellata (red drum) bass1530 drummer1615 drum1649 red drum1709 drummer fish1725 red fish1763 red sciaena1803 red bass1837 spot1864 school bass1869 channel bass1873 spotfish1875 masooka1884 red horse1884 red1958 1875 Fur, Fin & Feather 122 You are always welcome to a seat in his boat, if disposed for snipe or duck, or spot-fish. 1915 Amer. Mag. Jan. 13/2 They found it possible to take perfectly distinct pictures of various small fish—spot fish, croakers, and others. 2013 N.Y. Mag. 22 Apr. 54/1 Try the karimeen pollichathu, a Keralan specialty of fresh-caught pearl spotfish cooked in banana leaves. spot hazard n. Billiards a shot that pockets the red ball, esp. one that leaves the cue ball in a position to repeat the shot; = spot stroke n.Now disused; see note at spot stroke n. ΚΠ 1861 Notts. Guardian 2 May 8/2 He made the following long scores at different breaks, viz.:—96 off, including 12 spot red hazards 58, including 4 spot hazards, and 195, including 53 spot hazards. 1905 Badminton Mag. Feb. 168 That unrivalled artist in his own particular line, spot-hazard striking. 1930 Times 11 Apr. 17/6 Cook, in 1872, made a break of 926, with 262 consecutive spot hazards. spot height n. Surveying and Cartography the height of a point above a datum line (usually mean sea level); an indication of this on a map; colloquial an elevated point on the ground, the height of which is indicated on a map. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > earth sciences > geography > map-making > surveying > [noun] > datum for heights > spot height spot level1886 spot height1911 1911 Surveyor (Sydney) Sept. 160 The heights of contours should..be shown at their extremities, and the top of hills, if not a contour, should have spot heights printed on. 1953 G. R. Crone Maps & their Makers ix. 138 The earliest British map to include spot heights appears to be Christopher Packe ‘Physico-chorographical chart’ of Kent, 1743. 1977 D. Beaty Excellency vi. 74 He drew his track on the maps and charts..and memorized the spot-heights over the Alps. 2004 Trail May 97/3 Follow the fence eastwards to climb past a pronounced spot height. spot inspection n. an inspection based on a random or representative sample, or one made without prior warning; cf. spot check n. ΚΠ 1921 Los Angeles County Farm Bureau Monthly July 7/2 A spot inspection for red scale over some 90 acres of young trees located 13 infested trees where 31 were found a year ago. 1939 School Rev. 47 729 That employment of children of fourteen and fifteen, and even of eight, nine, and ten years, is not entirely a thing of the past has been amply demonstrated by the Children's Bureau's spot inspections during the past year. 1985 Teaching Sociol. 12 337 You should always carry your journal to class to have it ready for spot inspection, collection, discussion, or to write in. 2007 Gazette (Montreal) (Nexis) 8 June a1 In surprise spot inspections of six detention centres, Saint-Germain's team found the overcrowding situation has moved beyond just two prisoners to a cell. spot kick n. Association Football a free kick; (now) spec. a free kick at goal from the penalty spot, a penalty. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > association football > [noun] > actions or manoeuvres holding1866 hand-balling1867 left-footer1874 header1875 handball1879 goal kick1881 corner1882 spot kick1884 middle1899 clearance1920 cross-kick1927 cross-pass1929 body swerve1933 open goal1934 headball1936 chip1939 through-ball1956 wall pass1958 outswinger1959 cross1961 overlap1969 blooter1976 hospital pass1978 route one1978 sidefoot1979 top bin1999 ankle-biting2001 1884 Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 15 Apr. 7/1 A prize for the best spot kick was competed for by several players. 1910 Aberdeen Daily Jrnl. 31 Oct. 9/5 Aberdeen were granted a penalty, Nichol being tripped, but he failed to beat Balfour with the spot kick. 1977 Belfast Tel. 22 Feb. 30/6 Magee remains the Blues' spot kick expert and, if a penalty is awarded.., he will be the man to take it. 2002 Mirror 18 Mar. (Mania section) 9/5 Then came the penalty that none of us thought was a spot kick, and everyone we have spoken to since did not think it was either. spotlamp n. (a) an electric light casting a narrow and intense beam; = spotlight n. 1a; (b) a powerful auxiliary electric lamp on a motor vehicle used to illuminate objects not within range of the headlights; = spotlight n. 2. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > artificial light defined by light-source > electric light > [noun] > spotlight spotlight1875 spotlamp1900 lite1924 society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > parts and equipment of motor vehicles > [noun] > other exterior lights side lamp1780 brake light1853 running light1863 spotlight1875 rear lamp1884 spotlamp1900 sidelight1906 parking lamp1926 parking light1927 reversing lamp1927 stop light1930 pass light1938 pass lamp1948 stop lamp1959 parker1967 1900 Western Electrician 15 Dec. 378/1 A double reflector and a ‘spot’ lamp are operated from this latter circuit. 1937 Motor Catal. (East London Rubber Co.) 151 ‘Raydyot’ Spot Lamp... Universal movement. 1962 H. C. Weston Sight, Light & Work (ed. 2) vi. 197 A low voltage 50 watt spot-lamp unit..can be mounted at a distance of 6 ft. from the work and yet provide an illumination upwards of 300 lm/f.² 1976 Liverpool Echo 22 Nov. 14/3 (advt.) Daimler Sovereign 1973, automatic, power steering,..spotlamps, [etc.]. 2000 Esquire July 69/1 (advt.) It inherits the Goddess's long flowing lines and details such as the shark's-head bonnet, one-branch steering wheel and twin front spotlamps. spot lens n. (a) Microscopy a condensing lens having a black spot painted in the centre or an opaque disc mounted below to intercept direct light, used for dark-field illumination; (b) a lens which focuses the output of a lamp into a narrow beam; the lens of a spotlight. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > lens > [noun] > other lenses concave1632 globe1653 meniscus1693 hemispherule1696 convex1705 omphaloptic1728 omphalopter1738 crown lens1764 achromatic1785 condenser1798 meniscus lens1820 Fresnel lens1835 bull's-eye1839 Stanhope lens1850 spot lens1860 amplifier1866 achromat1873 projectora1884 aplanat1890 triplet condenser1892 Aldis lens1902 monocentric1922 Schmidt correcting plate1934 coated lens1948 Panavision1955 Schmidt correcting lens1961 re-imaging1962 1855 J. Quekett Pract. Treat. Use Microscope (ed. 3) ii. ii. 221 The blackground illumination may also be effected by..a nearly spherical lens, having its centre covered with a disc of tinfoil; this instrument is known as the ‘spotted lens’. 1857 L. S. Beale How to work with Microscope ii. 16 This little instrument which I now show you is termed a spot-glass, and consists of a plano-convex lens... In the centre of the flat surface is placed a small circular piece of black paper in order to prevent the passage of any direct rays of light.] 1860 G. Rainy in Glasgow Med. Jrnl. Oct. 283 The observer is as it were looking at the retina through an apparatus similar, in certain respects, to that known as a spot lens. 1903 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 1902 54 793 The lorica shows yellowish-brown by transmitted light, bluish-green with a brown edge with spot-lens. 1945 Pop. Photogr. Mar. 8/2 (caption) No. 17 Spotlight..with spot lens. 1998 P. A. Annis & T. W. Quigley in J. Summerscales Microstruct. Characterisation Fibre-reinforced Composites ii. 27 To optimize reflected illumination, we use free standing fiber optic illuminators with spot lenses and/or a fiber optic ring illuminator attached to the objective of our stereo microscope. 2013 H. C. Box Set Lighting Technician's Handbk. (ed. 4) x. 235 A Nila daylight with flood lens gives 32 fc [= footcandles] at 10 ft. With the spot lens it gets 180 fc at the same distance. spot level n. Surveying = spot height n.; also figurative. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > earth sciences > geography > map-making > surveying > [noun] > datum for heights > spot height spot level1886 spot height1911 1886 Votes & Proc. Legislative Assembly New S. Wales 966 ‘Spot’ levels should also be taken at all the intersections of streets. 1908 N. F. Mackenzie Methods of Surv. x. 118 From these ‘spot levels’ the actual contour lines are sketched in by interpolation. 1958 Listener 20 Nov. 813/1 As the polls attempt a nationwide cross-section one would expect them to reflect the gradual development and movement of political opinion..more steadily and consistently than the spot-levels, so to speak, which are taken at by-elections, with all their variations of locality, candidate, and so on. 1974 W. H. Irvine Surveying for Constr. iii. 12/1 At present spot levels are shown to the nearest foot but with metrication the levels will be to the nearest 100 mm. 2004 P. Hymers New Home Builder iii. 52 The only way to be sure of the gradients is to undertake a levelling survey of your plot with spot levels marked out at strategic points. spot list v. transitive (in Britain and Ireland) to place (a building) on a statutory preservation register as the result of special consideration, esp. in the face of proposed demolition or modification; cf. list v.⁴ 1e. ΚΠ 1969 Estates Gaz. 11 Oct. 149/1 The Minister of Housing has now ‘spot listed’ the buildings on the grounds of their architectural and historic interest. 1977 M. Binney in M. Binney & P. Burman Change & Decay 188/1 If a church is of any merit yet still not listed it is worth asking the Department of the Environment to consider spotlisting it. 2004 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 20 Mar. 717/2 I wrote to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport suggesting..that it [sc. the underground hospital] was under threat and should therefore be spot listed. spot listing n. (a) = spot ad n. (a) (rare); (b) (in Britain and Ireland) the action or process of placing a building on a statutory preservation register as the result of special consideration, esp. in the face of proposed demolition or modification; cf. spot list vb. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > types of building generally > [verb (transitive)] > place building on a list spot listing1957 society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > types of building generally > [noun] > listed building > placing of building on a list spot listing1957 1957 N.Y. Times 21 July w8 (advt.) See spot listing for Art Positions. 1960 5th Rep. Select Comm. Estimates 61/1 in Parl. Papers 1959–60 (H.C. 274) VI. 321 We have a method of spot-listing. If we are told by telephone that a building which has not yet been listed is on the point of being demolished, we put it on a list containing that building alone. 1973 Times 8 Jan. 3/3 Widespread ‘spot listing’ to save buildings threatened by development may be counter-productive. 2008 Victorian July 11/3 The only two major buildings under threat, the 1930s library and the 1970s market hall, having been saved by spot listing. spot-made adj. made on the spot, makeshift. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > recourse > [adjective] > makeshift extemporal1626 extemporary1631 extempore1694 extemporaneous1725 impromptu1764 makeshift1824 makeshifty1858 spot-made1894 make-do1923 roll-your-own1942 Band-Aid1970 1894 Outing June 173/2 The bridles were mostly spot-made with a bit of cord doing service as reins. 1999 C. Harryman Words xvii. 74 If one [heart] were shaped and molded over a long time through meditative practice and one were spot-made, what about the third heart? spot map n. (a) Astronomy a map or diagram showing the distribution of sunspots (or similar regions on other stars); (b) gen. a map in which spots or points indicate individual locations or occurrences of something. ΚΠ 1870 M. Williams Fuel of Sun vi. 47 Comparisons of Mr Carrington's spot-maps and the Kew pictures with positions of the planets. 1884 Lancet 6 Sept. 435/2 The part referring to the ‘spot maps’ I have made was left out in that abstract. 1901 L. C. Parkes & H. R. Kenwood Hygiene & Public Health xi. 666 ‘Spot maps’—maps of a district, on which the deaths or cases of various infectious diseases are spotted out—furnish valuable graphic expressions of any grouping. 1973 J. J. McKelvey Man against Tsetse ii. 81 In three months the commission acquired 460 collections of flies and made a spot map of tsetse locations. 1979 Dictionaries 1 36 The spot maps will be effectively utilized to show the distribution of a single [dialectal] term. 2004 G. Rüdiger & R. Hollerbach Magnetic Universe iv. 106 (caption) FK Com light-curves and spot maps for 1990-1993. 2007 D. M. Dwyer & C. Groves in K. E. Nelson & C. F. Masters Williams Infectious Dis. Epidemiol. (ed. 2) v. 164 Spot maps of cases by residence, site of care, or location in a facility can help explain the occurrence of cases. spot meter n. a photometer that measures the intensity of light received within a cone of small angle, typically 2° or less. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > optical instruments > instruments for measuring > [noun] > light or radiation phaometer1747 photometer1779 diaphanometer1789 lucimeter1825 refractometer1842 Abbe refractometer1876 dietheroscope1877 reflectometer1879 radiomicrometer1887 holophotometer1888 flicker photometer1896 microphotometer1899 diffractometer1909 spot meter1952 photopolarimeter1971 1949 Jrnl. Soc. Motion Picture & Television Engineers Nov. 607/1 The Tele-Spot Meter..has an optical system enabling it to measure the light coming from a small area, or a narrow angle, such as a one-inch circle at ten feet.] 1952 Jrnl. Soc. Motion Picture & Television Engineers June 552/1 This new Spectra Brightness Spot Meter will soon be available from Photo Research Corp... It is designed to measure the brightness of a very small area at any distance from 4 ft to infinity. 1976 Physics Bull. Sept. 395/3 A range of luminance (brightness) spotmeters and illuminance meters will be displayed. 2000 DigitalFoto Oct. 32/2 Use your camera's spot meter and be sure to take readings from your subject. spot metering n. Photography a mode of automatic light metering in a camera that takes brightness readings from a small area of the image. ΚΠ 1966 Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 8 Apr. A5/4 (advt.) Worlds [sic] only spot metering 35mm SLR that shoots thru a stationary mirror. Takes all Canon lenses.] 1967 Los Angeles Times 17 May iii. 11/1 The Miranda Sensorex, with a TTL spot-metering system..attracted much attention. 2004 Digital Photographer No. 24. 36/3 A final point to bear in mind when doing low-key portraits is to use spot metering—a black or dark background will inevitably fool a matrix metering system and lead the camera to underexpose. spot month n. Stock Market the month during which goods bought on a futures contract will become available for delivery. ΚΠ 1890 Ann. Rep. Chamber of Commerce N.Y. 1889–90 ii. 38 The lowest point at which the spot month sold was in July at 13.05 cents. 1937 N.Y. Times 29 Sept. 31/7 It was noted that earlier in the year active ‘spot’ months had been closing strong at premiums over later positions. 1995 Hongkong Standard 26 Aug. (Financial Review section) 3/3 Most players [have]..already done their switching from August to September contracts ahead of the spot month's expiry next Wednesday. † spot pigeon n. Obsolete a variety of domestic pigeon having predominantly white plumage with a spot of another colour above the beak; = sense A. 7. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Columbiformes (pigeons, etc.) > domestic pigeon > [noun] > spot pigeon spot1676 spot pigeon1783 1783 J. Latham Gen. Synopsis Birds II. ii. 615 Spot Pigeon. This is remarkable, from having on the forehead, above the bill, a spot, which is of the same colour as the tail. 1868 C. Darwin Variation Animals & Plants II. xxvi. 350 The Spot pigeon is characterised by the whole plumage being white. 1908 Proc. Zool. Soc. 18 Feb. 68 As a Spot pigeon was not readily obtainable, a black and white Nun pigeon was substituted. spot plate n. Chemistry a plate (typically ceramic or plastic) bearing an array of small depressions in which spot tests can be performed. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > chemistry > equipment or apparatus > [noun] > miscellaneous apparatus bain1477 speculum1650 filtering paper1651 wheel-fire1662 filter paper1670 sun furnace1763 respirator1789 candle-ball1794 rectifier1822 candle-bomb1823 filter1823 oxyhydrogen blowpipe1823 shade1837 graduator1839 pipette1839 thistle funnel1849 pressure tube1852 ozonizer1858 dialyser1861 Liebig condenser1861 Sprengel pump1866 Sprengel tube1866 water softener1867 mercury pump1869 Bunsen burner1870 dialysator1877 test-mixer1877 tube-condenser1877 Kipp1879 reflux condenser1880 policeman1888 converter1889 pressure boiler1891 spot plate1896 hydrogen electrode1898 sampler1902 reactor1903 fume-chamber1905 Permutit1910 microburner1911 salt bridge1915 precipitator1919 Raschig ring1920 microneedle1921 titrator1928 laboratory coatc1936 spray tower1937 precipitron1938 ion exchanger1941 potentiostat1942 chemostat1950 Knudsen pipette1951 pH-stat1956 cryopump1958 1896 Proc. Colorado Sci. Soc. 5 205 The solution can be run in and tested on the spot plate with ferricyanide of potassium. 1937 J. W. Matthews tr. F. Feigl Spot Tests ii. 5 Spot plates are made from glazed porcelain, and usually contain 6–12 adjacent depressions of equal size that hold 0·5–1 c.c. of liquid. 2013 F. Bettelheim & J. Landesberg Lab. Exper. (ed. 8) xli. 495 Transfer 3 drops of each solution into separate depressions of a white spot plate. spot prize n. a small prize awarded during the course of a competition or social event, often (esp. in later use) for a frivolous or arbitrary accomplishment. ΚΠ 1916 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 7 May 15/5 Spot prize will be given to best dancer among ladies. 1938 Daily Kennebec Jrnl. (Augusta, Maine) 22 Jan. 8/4 The spot prize will be given to that person who is standing at a secretly marked spot on the floor when the signal is given to halt the dancers. 1952 Times 27 June 1/3 Spot prizes to-night are KIGU powder compacts: do come along. 2011 J. Knight Royal Wedding for Dummies iii. x. 141 Why not try awarding ‘spot’ prizes—a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates say—for answering a bonus question correctly. spot-proof adj. †(a) (of plants) resistant or immune to spot (sense A. 1d) (obsolete rare); (b) (of fabrics, surfaces, etc.) resistant to small stains. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > treated or processed in specific way > [adjective] > rendered stain-resistant spot-proof1886 stainless1897 stain-resistant1960 1886 Vermont Watchman 6 Jan. 2/4 We tested many varieties [of beans]..to sift out those with vigorous, rust and spot-proof constitutions. 1891 Amer. Architect & Building News 17 Oct. 42/2 The floor will be grease and spot proof under ordinary conditions. 1918 Jrnl. Dept. Agric. S. Austral. Dec. 418 Why should not spot resistant and perhaps spot proof vines be obtained? 1958 Times 6 Oct. 13/1 Leather and suède jackets and coats many of which are treated to be spot-proof against rain. 2012 Daily Gleaner (New Brunswick) (Nexis) 28 Dec. c11 Spot-proof towels... I am writing in response to your followup column on ‘mystery bleach spots’ on towels. spot-reduce v. (a) intransitive to (attempt to) lose weight from a particular part of the body; cf. reduce v. 4; (b) transitive to (attempt to) lose (fat) from a particular area of the body by exercising or dieting. ΚΠ 1958 Atchison (Kansas) Daily Globe 3 Jan. 2/3 Doctors say that you can't reduce in spots. Whether you want to ‘spot’ reduce or reduce all over, see your doctor. 1996 L.A. Daily News 24 June (Life section) 3 You cannot spot-reduce and obliterate any layer of fat over your abs with exercise. 2003 G. Kolata Ultimate Fitness ix. 234 It is futile to try to spot reduce—working your inner thighs, for example, in hopes of slimming them. 2005 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 23 Aug. d5/5 And, liposuction notwithstanding, there is no way to ‘spot-reduce’ stomach fat, just as doing side leg lifts will not trim fat from the hips. spot reducing n. the (hypothetical) action or process of losing weight from particular areas of the body. ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > slim shape or physique > [noun] > making > as part of program > set program > in selected areas of body spot reducing1936 1936 El Paso (Texas) Herald-Post 29 May 5/2 ‘Spot’ reducing for bodies that need reforming! That's what Miss Nye offers women in this book. 1960 Sunday Express 27 Nov. 14/3 Gymnasia with spot-reducing and general slimming equipment. 2010 Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 1 Nov. 10 a While spot reducing isn't possible, overall toning and weight loss is. spot remover n. a solution, cream, spray, etc., used to remove stains or blemishes, usually from a fabric, carpet, etc. ΚΠ 1883 New Remedies Sept. 275/1 (heading) Iron Rust Spot Remover. 1951 J. Kerouac On the Road: Orig. Scroll (2007) 143 I once made a spot remover that has since been copied by big firms in the East. 1991 Seattle Times (Nexis) 19 May g4 If the spot is on your cotton turtleneck, try one of the many commercial enzyme or detergent-based presoaks or spot removers. 2007 J. Ostrow Compl. Idiot's Guide Simple Home Repair ii. vi. 95 You should keep a bottle of carpet spot remover with your cleaning supplies just in case of spills. spot-removing adj. and n. (a) adj. that removes stains; (b) n. the action or process of removing stains. ΚΠ 1670 J. Eachard Grounds Contempt of Clergy 56 Many a Good-wife..knows not any thing of the all-powerfulness of Aqua-fortis, how that it is such a Spot-removing Liquor. 1849 Daily Crescent (New Orleans) 26 Sept. It cleans oil-spots, removes stains, hides dirt..such is the virtue of the all-healing, never-failing, spot-removing, beauty-restoring, health-giving, magical, radical, tragical, e-ra-sive soap! 1910 Information May 56 The strong sunlight is very bad for spot removing. 1992 C. Shields Republic of Love (1993) 2 Those girls assigned to..flower arranging, floor waxing, spot removing. 2010 L. Vega Image of Success i. vi. 107 Carry a spot-removing pen for spur-of-the-moment spots that happen seconds before your interview. † spot-skin adj. Obsolete rare (of an animal) having a spotted coat. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > [adjective] > spotted spotteda1325 spotty1340 splotty1382 scawed1398 engoutedc1450 dropped1611 measled1634 fly-bitten1639 maculated1646 bedrop1658 polluted1667 diced1671 puncticular1671 pantherine1753 parded1806 guttular1811 naevose1847 pellucido-punctate1847 measly1849 notate1857 maculiferous1863 spot-skin1871 naevous1890 1871 R. Browning Balaustion 81 With them fed in fellowship..spot-skin lynxes. spot snapper n. either of two tropical snappers of coral reefs in the West Atlantic, Lutjanus synagris (chiefly U.S.) and L. mahogoni (chiefly Caribbean), which have a dark spot on the back. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > miscellaneous types > [noun] mudfish1502 sprat1552 frogfish1598 rockfish1605 yellowtaila1622 sleeper1668 picarel1688 hogfish1735 porkfish1735 sucker1753 zebrafish1771 yellowbelly1775 white steenbras1801 stone-toter1817 stargazer1842 warehou1848 baardman1853 goatfish1864 holostome1864 spot snapper1876 suck-fish1876 mademoiselle1882 queenfish1883 cigar-fish1884 emperor fish1884 rock beauty1885 oilfish1896 aholehole1897 berrugate1898 Photoblepharon1902 sweet-lip1934 rabbitfish1941 redbait1960 1876 G. B. Goode Catal. Fishes Bermudas 55 The Spot snapper and the Yellow-tail correspond doubtless to Mesoprion uninotatus..and to Ocyurus chrysurus. 1904 Zool. Soc. Bull. July 163/1 Other species in the Aquarium which may be considered old residents are the..spot snapper, red grouper and Nassau grouper. 1919 C. H. Townsend Guide N.Y. Aquarium 67 The Spot Snapper is recognizable by the dark blotch on the body. 1983 J. S. Zaneveld Caribbean Fish Life 62 Lutjanus mahogoni... mahogony [sic] snapper..; spot snapper (J, BWI)... Lutjanus synagris... lane snapper..; spot snapper (Cu, US-F). spot starter n. Baseball a pitcher on a team's roster who is not in the regular pitching rotation but is available to start on an irregular or interim basis. ΚΠ 1932 Atlantic (Iowa) News Tel. 3 Mar. 6/2 The two veterans..are also expected to lend considerable assistance, the former as a ‘spot’ starter and the latter as a relief operator. 1951 Washington Post 9 Apr. 13/6 Spot starters Max Lanier..and Harry Brecheen..will have to move into the regular routine. 2005 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 25 Apr. d3/4 The Yankees' spot starter..is on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle. spot stitch n. (a) a knitting or crochet stitch used to create raised spots; (b) a single sewing stitch repeated at (regular) intervals; a method employing such stitches, esp. as traditionally used by some North American Indians to attach a string of beads or other linear decoration to a fabric. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric manufactured in specific way > [noun] > consisting of loops or looped stitches > crochet > stitch or stitches tambour-stitchc1840 spot stitch1865 treble1872 foundation-chain1882 octagon-stitch1885 1865 Peterson's Mag. May 382/2 A Neat Spot Stitch. 1879 Rep. Paris Universal Exhib. 1878 585 The lays of leather are..cemented with a strong waterproof composition, and further strengthened by a row of spot-stitches on each edge, about 3 inches apart. 1933 C. A. Lyford Sioux Beadwork 9 The spot stitch, or couching stitch, makes possible the execution of lines moving in complicated curves. 1982 P. Earnshaw Dict. Lace 75 The general appearance of the early knotted laces sometimes closely resembles the raised double stitch or hollow spot stitch of crochet. 2000 C. C. Silverstein Clothed Encounters (Ph.D. thesis, McMaster Univ.) viii. 322 Elaborately beaded accessories, such as bandolier bags, belts, [etc.]..worked in floral and/or geometric designs in ‘spot-stitch’ and/or loomwork. 2013 S. Hazell Crochet Stitch Dict. 93 Spot stitch is another cluster stitch that is worked over a background of single crochet. The bobble is created by working five double crochet stitches together. spot stroke n. Billiards a shot that pockets the red ball, esp. one that leaves the cue ball in a position to repeat the shot.Modern rules of billiards limit players to two consecutive spot strokes, thereby reducing the shot's prominence. ΚΠ 1844 E. R. Mardon Billiards Pl. xxviii The ‘Spot’ Stroke..is of great importance; and any one that can play it in a proper manner should never consider the game as lost. 1870 Derby Mercury 19 Jan. 6/4 There can be no question that very long sequences of ‘spot strokes’ will in future be all but impossible on standard tables. 1938 Times 21 Feb. 8/2 The highest break in that match, with the spot stroke unrestricted, was 107. 1991 C. Everton Snooker & Billiards xv. 103/2 These breaks, compiled by the so-called spot-stroke, led to a limitation of the number of consecutive pots which could be made from the spot. spot test n. (a) a chemical test performed using a single drop or very small sample of the substance to be tested, typically with a reagent that produces a characteristic colour change or precipitate; (b) a test or inspection made on a random or representative sample, or one made without prior warning (cf. spot check n.). ΘΚΠ the world > matter > chemistry > chemical tests > [noun] > types field trial1817 spot test1872 indentation test1897 spot testing1900 reductase test1910 Scoville test1921 the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > [noun] > test or testing for truth or correctness > quick check on random sample spot test1872 spot check1918 spot-checking1919 1872 Trial Elizabeth Wharton (Baltimore Gaz.) 84/1 The spot test is not deemed of importance in giving the arsenic or antimony in sufficient quantity to test for the metals. 1921 Chem. Abstr. 15 2599 Spot tests which depend upon the formation of PbCrO₄ or of AgCrO₄ are fairly sensitive. 1928 Rep. 21st National Conf. Weights & Meas. (U.S. Dept. of Commerce) 50 This weight is about all that a man would care to move around on a scale platform in making ‘spot’ tests. 1955 Times 16 June 9/3 ‘Spot tests’ could be extended, and it would be well if the Minister were to declare his intention with regard to them. 1960 Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. 194 285/3 For Cu, a spot test is suggested which allows estimation in the range 0·1–0·5 p.p.m. 2012 J. Brown Afr. Amer. Women Chemists 105 Dr. Harris's major projects at Los Alamos Laboratory have included the development of a spot test for identifying explosives. spot-test v. transitive to subject to a spot test (in either sense). ΘΚΠ the world > matter > chemistry > chemical tests > subject to a chemical test [verb (transitive)] > specific types spot-test1913 the world > action or operation > endeavour > trial or experiment > trial, test, or testing > try or test [verb (transitive)] > test accuracy or correctness of > make quick check of random sample spot-test1913 spot-check1920 1913 Southwestern Reporter 159 755/1 When the filaments had been treated or ‘flashed’, as it was technically called, they were afterwards ‘spot tested’. 1948 Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 49 268 Prior to quantitative analysis..the fractions are spot-tested on paper impregnated with ninhydrin. 1969 Listener 28 Aug. 287/1 Miss Atwood's Toronto heroine works for Seymour Surveys, spot-testing consumer products. 2014 A. Brecker Probiotics for Life viii. 70 Assays of expiration date potency are spot tested by agents of the Food and Drug Administration. spot testing n. the carrying out of a spot test (in either sense). ΘΚΠ the world > matter > chemistry > chemical tests > [noun] > types field trial1817 spot test1872 indentation test1897 spot testing1900 reductase test1910 Scoville test1921 1900 School of Mines Q. Nov. 91 Paper saturated with solution of dyestuff is excellent for ‘spot’ testing. 1942 Industr. & Engin. Chem. (Analyt. ed.) 15 Apr. 278/2 (heading) Application of infrared radiation to spot-testing. 2004 T. D. Jakes Woman, thou art Loosed! 12 You will be subject to random drug and spot testing as determined by your parole officer. spot weld n. Engineering a weld produced by spot welding. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > work with metal [verb (transitive)] > weld > with specific technique seam1703 jump1864 tack1887 spot weld1908 seam-weld1917 tack weld1919 lead-burn1937 projection-weld1950 micro-weld1965 society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > [noun] > welding > joint made by > types of rust joint1839 butt weld1850 jump-weld1864 jump-joint1874 tee-joint1888 spot weld1908 tack weld1919 seam weld1920 fillet weld1929 fusion weld1930 braze1934 projection weld1938 flash weld1959 1908 Engineering 9 Oct. 486/1 The pedal of one of the machines on view had been made..by attaching a piece of angle iron on each side of the lever by two ‘spot welds’. 1977 Mod. Railways Dec. 488/1 The main handicap..was the high labour cost which resulted from the 50,000 rivets and 60,000 spot-welds involved in the construction of one vehicle. 2009 Mod. Jeweler (Nexis) Mar. 64 Quick spot welds save bench workers a lot of fumbling (and cursing). spot-weld v. Engineering transitive to join or fasten by spot welding; also in extended use. ΚΠ 1909 Engineering 15 Jan. 69/3 We have seen three thicknesses of 3/16-in. iron spot-welded together, the spot being about ³/ ₈ in. in diameter. 1973 A. Parrish Mech. Engineer's Ref. Bk. (ed. 11) vi. 34 Aluminium is readily spot welded but the welding parameters must be closely controlled because the metal has a short plastic temperature range. 1986 Consumer Rep. Sept. 580/2 In this recently developed technique, a device called a photocoagulator focuses infrared light into a fine point at the end of a probe, which spot-welds the hemorrhoid in place. 2004 V. A. W. Hillier & P. Coombes Hillier's Fund. Motor Vehicle Technol. (ed. 5) I. 24/2 A body-shell is normally..either made by spot-welding the panels, pillars and pressings together so as to form a strong box, or by building a space frame. spot-welded adj. Engineering joined or fastened by spot welding. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > metal in specific state or form > [adjective] > welded > in specific manner butt-welded1848 lap-welded1848 three-iron1892 spot-welded1921 fusion-welded1930 projection-welded1933 microwelded1963 1921 Automobile Engineer Mar. 106/3 (caption) A spot welded bonnet. 1969 J. G. Tweeddale Welding Fabrication II. iii. 87 In a spot welded assembly the joint is comparatively rigid. 2006 A. Livesey & A. Robinson Repair Vehicle Bodies (ed. 5) x. 293/2 State the treatment that should be carried out before replacing a spot welded panel. spot welder n. Engineering a piece of equipment for carrying out spot welding. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > metalworking equipment > [noun] > welding equipment welder1896 spot welder1908 seam welder1921 welding torch1921 stitch welder1934 projection welder1946 1908 Mining Jrnl. 14 Nov. 619/2 Another method of welding aluminium sheeting..is the electric system of welding, by means of so-called spot welders. 1963 H. R. Clauser Encycl. Engin. Materials 573/2 Semi-portable spot welders are..available for assemblies such as automotive structures, housings, and cases that cannot be handled by permanently placed..machines. 2005 S. L. Herman Industr. Motor Control (ed. 5) xxiii. 161/2 Four-way valves are used extensively in industry to control the operation of the pneumatic cylinders used on spot welders. spot welding n. Engineering a form of resistance welding in which one or more small, localized welds are produced on the overlapping surfaces to be joined; also in extended use, esp. in the context of surgical techniques. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > working with metal > [noun] > welding > types of butt welding1878 lead burning1886 arc welding1890 thermite process1905 thermite welding1906 resistance welding1908 spot welding1908 seam welding1917 fusion welding1918 projection welding1918 stud welding1918 metal arc welding1926 pressure welding1926 metallic arc welding1927 flash-butt welding1933 flash welding1933 stitch welding1934 rightward welding1936 block welding1943 submerged-arc welding1945 friction welding1946 T.I.G.1960 microwelding1962 1908 Engineering 9 Oct. 486/1 The method of spot-welding appears cheaper, quicker, and as good as riveting. 1912 Internal Combustion Engin. 30 Oct. 387/3 In the spot-welding machine the sheets are joined at spots instead of rivets. 1970 K. Ball Fiat 600, 600D Autobook xii. 141/1 The body structure is made up from nine separate assemblies joined together by spot welding. 1987 Financial Post (Canada) (Nexis) 1 June ii. 19 Laser control of massive gastrointestinal bleeding (‘spot welding’) caused by ulcer disease or cancer, is within reach. 2015 M. Wilson Implementation Robot Syst. i. 11 The initial applications in the automotive industry were mainly spot welding to form the car body. spot-winged adj. (in the names of birds) characterized by a spot or spots on the wings. ΚΠ ?a1808 Universal Syst. Nat. Hist. VII. 511 Flycatcher..spot-winged. 1891 Proc. Zool. Soc. 16 June 373 Mr. Howard Saunders also exhibited and made remarks on some specimens of the eggs of the Spot-winged Gull. 1958 C. A. Naether Bk. of Pigeon (ed. 4) viii. 223 Spot-Winged Pigeon, this large and strong bird..hails from South America. 2002 B. Grewal et al. Photogr. Guide Birds India 481 Spot-winged Starling... Saroglossa spiloptera (Spotted-winged Stare, Spot-winged Stare). spot wobble n. now historical a small periodic oscillation of the scanning spot in a cathode ray tube television, formerly used to render the scanning lines less noticeable. ΘΚΠ society > communication > broadcasting > television > visual element > [noun] > signals, types, or parts of picture frequency1926 picture signal1927 black level1935 line frequency1936 pedestal1937 line scan1938 picture black1938 white level1938 porch1941 test signal1945 spot wobble1950 luminance1953 1950 Wireless World Mar. 84 (heading) Television spot-wobble. Simple technique for combating 'lininess' in the raster. 1951 Sun (Baltimore) 19 Oct. (B ed.) 5/7 First sets to incorporate ‘spot wobble’ are 15-inch home receivers. Focusing is by the normal line-pattern method, but the flick of a switch converts to ‘spot wobble’. 1956 B.B.C. Engin. Monogr. No. 1. 5/2 The obliteration of the line structure by carefully adjusted spot wobble is of course essential in any telerecording system if beat patterns are to be avoided when the film is scanned. 2006 D. Howett Television Innovations vii. 88/1 The lower UK line system was given an improved appearance by using a system called spot-wobble, which effectively blurred the coarser 405-line structure. spot zoning n. U.S. Town Planning the redesignation of a small area for a particular use or development as the result of special consideration; see zoning n. 2. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > district in relation to human occupation > town as opposed to country > [noun] > town-planning or development > dividing into or assigning to specific areas zoning1912 rezoning1918 spot zoning1927 remap1930 downzoning1961 1927 Washington Post 4 Aug. 18/1 The proposal was named as an alternative to ‘spot zoning’, the reclassification of small parcels of property without changing an entire neighborhood. 1976 Tulane Law Rev. 50 357 The term ‘spot zoning’..may mean rezoning not in accordance with a comprehensive plan, rezoning in the absence of a mistake or change, or rezoning which is arbitrary and improper. 2012 Wall St. Jrnl. 7 Nov. a4/6 It fits the definition of spot zoning... I don't see how it makes sense to take an island of agricultural land..and just deem it commercial. Derivatives spot-like adj. resembling or characteristic of a spot or spots. ΚΠ 1821 S. F. Gray Nat. Arrangem. Brit. Plants I. 550 Thalli tufted, white or grey, spotlike, round. 1887 W. Phillips Man. Brit. Discomycetes 360 Sporidia hyaline; cups seated on a spot-like crust. 1968 V. B. Mountcastle Med. Physiol. (ed. 12) II. lxiii. 1434/2 The sensitive areas were distributed in a spotlike manner. 2007 Gay Times Mar. 22/2 Most guys have got some sort of small spot-like things on their willies—some appear under the foreskin all around the head of the penis and are 100% normal. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022). spotn.² Brit. /spɒt/, U.S. /spɑt/ Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: spot v. Etymology: < spot v. (compare sense 9 at that entry). slang. †1. A police officer or detective. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > law > law enforcement > police force or the police > [noun] > policeman truncheon officer1708 runner1735 horny1753 nibbing-cull1775 nabbing-cull1780 police officer1784 police constable1787 policeman1788 scout1789 nabman1792 nabber1795 pig1811 Bow-street officer1812 nab1813 peeler1816 split1819 grunter1823 robin redbreast1824 bulky1828 raw (or unboiled) lobster1829 Johnny Darm1830 polis1833 crusher1835 constable1839 police1839 agent1841 johndarm1843 blue boy1844 bobby1844 bluebottle1845 copper1846 blue1848 polisman1850 blue coat1851 Johnny1851 PC1851 spot1851 Jack1854 truncheonist1854 fly1857 greycoat1857 cop1859 Cossack1859 slop1859 scuffer1860 nailerc1863 worm1864 Robert1870 reeler1879 minion of the law1882 ginger pop1887 rozzer1888 nark1890 bull1893 grasshopper1893 truncheon-bearer1896 John1898 finger1899 flatty1899 mug1903 John Dunn1904 John Hop1905 gendarme1906 Johnny Hop1908 pavement pounder1908 buttons1911 flat-foot1913 pounder1919 Hop1923 bogy1925 shamus1925 heat1928 fuzz1929 law1929 narker1932 roach1932 jonnop1938 grass1939 roller1940 Babylon1943 walloper1945 cozzer1950 Old Bill1958 cowboy1959 monaych1961 cozzpot1962 policeperson1965 woolly1965 Fed1966 wolly1970 plod1971 roz1971 Smokey Bear1974 bear1975 beast1978 woodentop1981 Five-O1983 dibble1990 Bow-street runner- 1851 Househ. Words 25 Jan. 423/2 Gives a opportoonity of bringing in queer-looking sackfuls o' things, which otherwise would compel the ‘spots’—as we calls the p'lese—to come down on us. 1878 ‘J. M'Govan’ Brought to Bay 129 If ye only want to gain time to put the spots on our track, ye'd better never have been born! 2. A person employed by a company, esp. a bus company, to keep secret watch on its employees. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > one who sees > [noun] > spy or scout showerOE spierc1275 aspy1297 overlookerc1484 spial1548 scout1585 speculationa1616 spion1615 spotter1867 spot1893 1893 Royal Comm. Labour: Digest of Evid. before Group B III. 25/1 in Parl. Papers 1893–4 (C. 6894-XI) XXXIII. 681 Two ‘spots’ were present in the street, i.e., inspectors told off by the company to watch the men entering the meeting. 1894 Daily Graphic 24 Mar. 11/2 The men were continually being harassed, and ‘spots’ were jumping on their 'buses at all times to spy on them. 1902 H. C. Moore Omnibuses & Cabs xi. 140 The ‘spot’ would state that a certain omnibus, on a certain journey, had carried, say, twelve ‘longs’ and sixteen ‘shorts’, but the conductor would pay in the fares of fourteen ‘longs’ and seventeen or eighteen ‘shorts’. 1939 H. Hodge Cab, Sir? 258 In the early days of motor-cabs some of the larger companies attempted to keep a little control by sending out inspectors, or ‘spots’. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022). spotv. Brit. /spɒt/, U.S. /spɑt/ Forms: see spot n.¹ Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: spot n.¹ Etymology: < spot n.¹ Compare earlier spotted adj.With the semantic development of senses in branch III., compare similar sense development of mark v. Sense 21a may . The following earlier quotation is more likely to show a transmission error for a different word (perhaps for frot v.) than an earlier instance of sense 5a:1381 Diuersa Servicia in C. B. Hieatt & S. Butler Curye on Inglysch (1985) 73 Lat yt [sc. venisoun] be þereyn þre dayes and þre nyȝt; & after tak yt vp & spot yt wel wyþ gret salt of poite. I. To stain, mar, and related senses. 1. a. transitive. To sully the moral character, reputation, etc., of; to stain, tarnish (a reputation, etc.). Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > degrade or impair morally [verb (transitive)] > pollute or defile afileeOE awemOE filec1175 wemc1175 soila1250 foulc1330 defoula1340 bleckc1380 blemishc1380 pollutea1382 tache1390 sulpa1400 vilec1400 spota1413 stain1446 defilec1450 violate1490 tan1530 smear1549 beray1576 moil1596 discolour1598 smut1601 bespurtle1604 sullya1616 commaculatec1616 decolour?c1622 collutulate1623 deturpate1623 berust1631 smutch1640 discolorate1651 smoot1683 tarnish1695 tar1817 dirten1987 society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > degrade or impair morally [verb (reflexive)] > pollute or defile spota1413 a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) iv. l. 1578 Þenketh on myn honeste..with what filþe it spotted sholde be If in þis forme I sholde with yow wende. ?c1425 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Royal 17 D.vi) (1860) 135 His disciples loved so clennesse..her eyen out of her hedes they brent, Lest the sight of hem myght spotte her entent. a1500 tr. Thomas à Kempis De Imitatione Christi (Trin. Dublin) (1893) 3 For þei þat folowiþ her sensualite spotteþ her conscience & lesiþ þe grace of god. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. viij^v Neither to suffer so greate an euill to spot and blemishe that noble house of Saxonie. 1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. I. ii. iii. sig. H.viij^v/2 If..we doe spot our selues with a filthy and vncleane life. 1605 E. Sandys Relation State of Relig. sig. B3^v Some,..not content to spot themselues with al Italian impurity, proceed on to impoyson their Country also. 1618 R. Sybthorpe Counter-plea Apostataes Pardon 16 Hee that shall be disobedient vnto these spirituall Fathers, he will not sticke to spot himselfe with any impiety. a1625 J. Fletcher Rule a Wife (1640) v. 64 You rob too Templens,..You ruine hirs, and spot hir noble husbands. 1670 J. Dryden Tyrannick Love v. i. 59 Be all the discords of our Bed forgot, Which, Virtue witness, I did never spot. 1734 J. Forrester Polite Philosopher 20 Just Sense shou'd teach us to revere the Dame; Nor, by imprudent Jests, to spot her Fame. 1754 S. Johnson Adventurer No. 131. 364 These peculiarities, however, are always found to spot a character though they may not totally obscure it. 1855 J. L. Motley Rise Dutch Republic I. i. iii. 219 Who might be spotted merely with the errors introduced by Luther. 1858 H. Bushnell Nature & Supernatural xv. 498 He..spots with blemish the religion that already has a right to his faith. 1910 Mansfield (Ohio) News 28 Feb. 5/5 As long as there is..a soul spotted by sin..just so long is there a Christ for Mansfield. 2014 Frontier Post (Pakistan) (Nexis) 3 Apr. It [sc. the Indian Navy] has spotted its reputation and its competency too has become the talk of the town. †b. transitive. To defame, cast aspersions on, vilify. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > sullying or staining of reputation > stain or sully [verb (transitive)] filea1325 foulc1330 tache1390 dark?c1400 distain1406 smita1413 blemish1414 black?c1425 defoul1470 maculate?a1475 macule1484 tan1530 staina1535 spota1542 smear1549 blot1566 besmear1579 defile1581 attaint1590 soila1596 slubber1599 tack1601 woad1603 besmirch1604 blur1604 to breathe upon ——1608 be-smut1610 clouda1616 sullya1616 taint1623 smutch1640 blackena1649 to cast, put, throw (etc.) a slur on or upon (a person or thing)1654 beslur1675 tarnish1695 blackwash1762 carbonify1792 smirch1820 tattoo1884 dirten1987 a1542 T. Wyatt Coll. Poems (1969) cclxvi. 12 Mystrust me not though some there be That fayne would spot my stedfastnes. 1623 H. Hexham Tongue-combat 9 Those of the Reformed Religion whom..you spot with three or foure crimes. 1652 W. Brough Preservative against Schisme in Sacred Princ. 26 St. Jude spots them thus; There They feed themselves without feare. 1671 W. Penn Truth Rescued ii. 15 I do not mention it to spot that Doctor. †c. intransitive. To mar or sully something. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > pollute or defile [verb (transitive)] afileeOE besmiteeOE shenda950 befilec1000 bisulienc1200 defoulc1320 file1340 foilc1380 smota1387 lime1390 solwea1400 surda1400 infectc1425 filtha1450 poison?a1513 defile1530 polluve1533 inquinate1542 pollute1548 contaminate1563 bumfiddlec1595 impure1598 conspurcate1600 defoil1601 sullya1616 vilify1615 deturpate1623 impiate1623 defedate1628 dreg1628 contemerate1650 spot1741 empoison1775 1741 Gentleman's Mag. Sept. 491/1 Sure of all plagues with which dull prose Is curst, Scandals from false historians spot the worst. 2. transitive. To mark, stain, or soil (a physical object) with spots of something. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > soil [verb (transitive)] > spot bemole1362 bespotc1374 spot1440 mail1677 sye1855 Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 470 Spotton, maculo. a1450 ( tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) f. 72^v Ȝe ben worthi..to been blotted and spotted & fouled & defouled wiþ fen and wiþ dirt of water. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 729 Who hath spotted your shyrte sleve with ynke? 1549 H. Latimer 2nd Serm. before Kynges Maiestie 5th Serm. sig. Rvi^v He y^t medleth w^t pitche is like to be spotted w^t it. 1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique iii. xxxvi. 502 It spotteth and staineth the linnen so mightily, as that such staines will neuer be got out. 1763 J. Mills New Syst. Pract. Husbandry II. 415 Two..kinds of mildew, one of which spots the blades and stems of corn. 1798 S. T. Coleridge France in Fears & Solitude 16 Ye, that fleeing spot the mountain snows With bleeding wounds. 1831 W. Scott Count Robert vi, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. II. 144 The blood which we have shed may spot our hand,..but it shall scarce stain our forehead. 1893 Good Govt. June 156/1 He had his mouth full of the well-known Virginia weed, the stains of which spotted his coat and vest. 1923 Creston (Iowa) Daily Advertiser 26 Jan. 7 The place where the blood spots the ground outside the Stewart gate. 1966 R. E. Mates Photographing Art iii. 58 The fountain pen was in the hand he gestured with and the ink spotted the gallery wall as well as the painting. 2012 Daily News (N.Y.) (Nexis) 9 Dec. 14 She pointed to black mold spotting the wall next to windows. 3. intransitive. To be subject or liable to the formation of marks or spots, to form spots of discoloration; to become marred or spoilt by spots.Cf. sense 7. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > be spotted [verb (intransitive)] bestained1559 spot1791 the mind > attention and judgement > lack of beauty > disfigurement > disfigure [verb (transitive)] > impair the beauty of > spot befleck1567 spot1791 pock1841 the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > become soiled [verb (intransitive)] > become spotted spot1791 1791 World 28 Mar. Venetian Brown Urns, That will not Spot, or need Cleaning. 1816 T. Packer Dyer's Guide viii. 119 It [sc. green] is with difficulty produced on silk, because the blue vat is liable to spot and give a party colour. 1838 Southern Agriculturist Sept. 504 Continue to earth up your celery,..taking care that none of the earth falls into and among the leaves, which would cause them to spot. 1879 Warehousemen & Drapers' Trade Jrnl. 13 Dec. 594 Even those [gloves] which have been so treated continue to ‘spot’. 1882 Garden 11 Mar. 168/2 A damp, cool atmosphere, with little artificial heat, causes the flowers to spot. 1922 Sat. Evening Post 10 June 65 (advt.) These stains are absolutely waterproof—nothing will cause them to spot, fade or turn white. 1972 Amer. Archivist 35 No. 3/4. (end matter) (advt.) The Kalvar image is one of the most permanent of all photographic media. It doesn't fade, spot, or discolor with age. 2006 L. T. Griepentrog & R. K. Brent Machine Embroidery Wild & Wacky 78/2 Be cautious about using water-activated adhesives, since the damp stabilizer could cause the paper dye to spot or fade. 4. transitive. Chiefly Photography. To free from spots or small defects; to remove or efface (small marks). Also with out. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > cleaning of stains or marks > clean stains or marks (from) [verb (transitive)] to take out of ——1573 unspot1598 unscore1621 unstain1639 spot1869 the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > efface, obliterate [verb (transitive)] > by rubbing > mark, stain, etc. laga1300 to take out1560 emaculatea1648 spot1915 1869 Illustr. Photographer 31 Dec. 588/2 All the prints have to be spotted out the same as ordinary photographs. 1885 C. G. W. Lock Workshop Receipts 4th Ser. 382/2 After the prints are mounted, dried, and spotted out, roll them upon a hot steel plate. 1896 Kodak News Sept. 87/1 Any little holes or scratches..should be carefully spotted out with a fine sable brush and stiff water colour. 1915 B. E. Jones Cinematogr. Bk. 176 Having cleaned and spotted the film, attention may be given to any torn portions or broken perforations. 1937 Discovery Feb. p. xiv/1 This book [sc. J. Deschin New Ways in Photography]..contains many suggestions and practical methods for getting better results in..spotting prints. 1979 Amateur Photographer 7 Feb. 4 (advt.) A custom hand print, cropped, hand printed, spotted, dry mounted and heat sealed. 2012 U.S. Patent 127,204 11/1 Any remaining spot cleanup can then be done to fix shadow details or spot out dirt. II. To make or become spotted, and related senses. 5. a. transitive. To mark, cover, or decorate with spots; to speckle. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > spot [verb (transitive)] ver?a1400 degout1423 spot?c1425 drop1548 polka dot1900 ?c1425 Recipe in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (Arun. 334) (1790) 469 (MED) Take turnesole diped in vine and wringe oute the colour, and with a feder sprinke and spot the congour, but colour hit not altogeder. 1591 R. Greene Second Pt. Conny-catching sig. A^v They will straight spotte him by sundry pollicies, and in a blacke horse, marke saddle spots. 1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. ii. sig. Sss/1 To spot Gawze-Hoods, broder des Coifes de Gaze. 1713 E. Budgell in Guardian 23 Mar. 2/1 Sometimes I take a Needle, and spot a Piece of Muslin for pretty Patty Cross-stitch. 1720 London Gaz. No. 5914/1 If any Person..shall file, square, or new spot any Dice. 1818 H. Parry Art of Bookbinding 51 This colour is for spotting the edges. 1864 Athenæum 24 Dec. 854/2 He spots the other spear-bearers [with blood] in a similar manner, and the tray is then taken by another man, who spots the sultan. 1885 D. Glasgow Watch & Clock Making ix. 118 The art of spotting such small pieces by hand is not easily acquired. 1921 Industrial-arts Mag. Mar. 92 This trick of starring or spotting the surface to be decorated..is really hinted at..in the word ‘chintz’ itself. 1997 N.Y. Times 4 July b3 (advt.) A team of face painters, ready to spot you and stripe you like your favorite wild animal. 2009 D. Adams FairyArt 111 Spot the arcs with dots of white gesso. b. transitive. To apply beauty spots or patches to (one's face) for the purpose of adornment or to cover blemishes. Also reflexive: to apply beauty spots to one's face. Now rare (historical in later use). ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the face > beautify (the face) [verb (transitive)] > adorn the face with ornamental spots or patches patch1650 spot1653 1653 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis (rev. ed.) xv. 261 Our Ladies here have lately entertained a vaine Custome of spotting their Faces, out of an affectation of a Mole to setoff [sic] their beauty. 1666 M. Mead Solomon's Prescript. 82 Go, Gallants, get to your Glass; Powder and Curle, Paint and Spot, Deck and Adorn you, as you were wont. 1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 81. ¶1 The Faces on one Hand, being spotted on the Right Side of the Forehead, and that upon the other on the Left. 1735 T. Salmon Mod. Hist. XXVII. iv. 56 The Women spot their faces with a red Earth or Stone (as ours do with black Patches) which is thought to add to their Beauty, by the Natives. 1858 W. F. Collier Hist. Brit. Empire 286 A curious custom was that of spotting the face over with patches of black plaster. 1864 W. F. Collier Hist. Eng. iii. viii. 461 When the Whig and Tory fight was raging hotly and the ladies took sides in these political questions, the manner of spotting the face came to betoken a certain sort of party-feeling. 1940 K. M. Lester & B. V. Oerke Accessories of Dress v. 99 In England as early as 1665, women were spotting their faces in affectation of a mole. c. transitive. U.S. (originally colonial). To mark (a tree) by cutting a chip in its trunk, esp. in order to indicate that it is to be felled. Also: to indicate (a path or boundary) by such marks. Cf. blaze v.³ ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > forestry or arboriculture > [verb (transitive)] > mark tree ring1690 spot1740 blaze1750 1740 in H. H. Metcalf & O. G. Hammond Probate Rec. New Hampsh. (1914) II. 58 One of the Said Lotts..Runs South Easterly..to a Beach tree Spotted and Numbered three. 1792 J. Belknap Hist. New-Hampsh. III. 75 Where they find the land suitable for a road, the trees are spotted by cutting out a piece of the bark. 1851 J. S. Springer Forest Life & Forest Trees ii. iii. 84 An experienced hand..‘spots’ the trees where he wishes the road to be ‘swamped’. 1860 Harper's Mag. Feb. 300/1 We had struck the line which our friends had spotted as they past along. 1929 Simpsons' Daily Leader-Times (Ford City, Pa.) 4 Dec. 1/1 He spotted the tree but only cut it recently. 1947 Hattiesburg (Mississippi) Amer. 24 Jan. 3/4 If you plan to move a dogwood tree, you should spot the tree a year early and chop around its roots. 2012 News Let. Jrnl. (Newcastle, Wyoming) (Nexis) 24 May Hale hired a crew to spot trees, the green hit ones—the ones currently infested. d. transitive. To moisten with a drop of liquid; to place a drop of (liquid) on (to) a surface, etc. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > make wet [verb (transitive)] > with drops dripec1000 bedewc1374 bedrop1393 spot1854 1854 R. D. Thomson Cycl. Chem. 162/1 The peroxidation of the solution is judged of by..spotting it on blotting paper, and then adding a drop of a solution of red prussiate of potash. 1954 R. E. Oesper tr. F. Feigl Spot Tests (ed. 3) II. iv. 158 The moist reagent paper is spotted with the test solution. 1972 Sci. Amer. June 34 (caption) The mixture is spotted at one corner (X) of a square of filter paper; the fragments are separated by chromatography in one direction and by electrophoresis in another. 1977 Lancet 26 Nov. 1140/2 Blood is spotted on to filterpaper. 1978 Nature 9 Feb. 577/2 Even concentrated lysates did not result in killing or lysogenisation when spotted on a lawn of Mu-sensitive bacteria. 2004 J. W. Lehman Student's Lab Compan. 110 Mark the starting line on a TLC plate and spot it with..the solution(s) to be analyzed. e. transitive. Of a woman: to discharge a small amount of (blood) on to underclothes, sanitary pads, etc., typically between menstrual periods, as a result of slight bleeding from the uterus, often as a result of the use of oral or implanted contraceptives. Also intransitive. Cf. spotting n. 8. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > discharge or flux > discharge [verb (intransitive)] > bleed > from uterus flood1771 spot1894 1894 Internat. Clinics 4th Ser. 2 273 She flowed every four weeks for four days, until four months ago, since which time she has been ‘spotting’ irregularly. 1918 Med. Rec. 26 Oct. 743/2 About two weeks previous to her admission to the hospital she began spotting. 1970 Beatrice (Nebraska) Daily Sun 9 July 6 I am a mother, 21. Over a year ago I started spotting blood. 1998 D. C. Aguiuera Crisis Intervention (ed. 8) vii. 133 She got up and went to the bathroom and discovered that she was spotting blood. 2010 N. S. Berry Unsafe Motherhood (2013) vi. 178 Constancia, who was eight months pregnant had arrived to the health post on a Friday to seek treatment because she was spotting blood. 6. a. transitive. Of a number of things: to be scattered across (an area or surface); to stud. Also of a single thing: to form, or appear as, a mark or feature upon (a surface). ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > spot of colour > spot [verb (transitive)] > appear as spots on spot1801 1801 R. Southey Thalaba I. i. 7 No palm-tree rose to spot the wilderness. 1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna ix. iii. 194 Many ships spotting the dark blue deep. 1822 J. M. Good Study Med. IV. 552 Pimples very minute..chiefly spotting the limbs. 1892 ‘M. Field’ Sight & Song 22 Pinks and gentians spot her robe. 1920 Condor 22 70 The dark forms of Ducks spotted the surface the lake. 1973 H. M. Hyman More Perfect Union xix. 340 Antivice organizations spotted the map. 2009 T. Fenske While you Quit vii. 179 He pointed to the raised grey and yellow bumps spotting the surface of the diseased vessel. b. intransitive. Usually with non-referential it as subject: to rain in large, scattered drops, esp. before a shower or storm. Frequently in to spot with rain. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > precipitation or atmospheric moisture > rain > rain falls [verb (intransitive)] > fall in scattered drops > large spot1841 platch1853 1841 C. H. Hartshorne Salopia Antiqua Gloss. 575 Spot, to commence raining. Ex. ‘It spots o' rain.’ 1862 Meliora 4 372 It is spotting with rain, my dear. 1899 Man of World 18 Apr. 6/3 The morning was bitterly cold and spotting with rain. 1909 Westm. Gaz. 21 Aug. 2/2 It began to spot with rain. 1931 M. de la Roche Finch's Fortune viii. 131 ‘Is it raining?’ asked Augusta. ‘Just beginning to spot,’ replied Mrs. Court. 1980 N. Freeling Castang's City i. 7 As night fell, it began spotting again with rain. 2011 P. Robinson Before Poison ix. 155 It was spotting with rain as we drove through narrow streets past the Romanesque buildings. 7. intransitive. Of a tobacco plant or leaf: to become speckled or marked with spots. rare.Without the negative connotations of sense 3. ΚΠ 1850 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Patents 1849: Agric. 456 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (31st Congr., 1st Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc. 20, Pt. 2) VI These varieties spot better, and produce a finer leaf than any I have ever seen... These spots it is that gives character to the tobacco. 1953 A. P. Middleton Tobacco Coast iv. 100 When the leaves began to spot, thicken, and discolor, the plants were cut off at the base by means of a special tobacco knife and left in the fields to wilt. 8. transitive. New Zealand. To select and purchase (the choicest parts of an area of land) in order to make the remainder unattractive for purchase by others. Frequently in to spot one's run: see run n.² 13. Cf. gridironing n. at gridiron v. Derivatives. Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > furnishing with inhabitants > colonizing > colonize (a place) [verb (transitive)] > select place to colonize spot1856 the mind > possession > taking > taking possession > take possession of [verb (transitive)] > take (land) into occupation > in specific way spot1856 1856 E. M. Curr Waste Lands Province Wellington 30 The practice of which I speak is called in New Zealand ‘spotting’ or ‘spoiling’ country. 1864 E. Muter Trav. & Adventures Officer's Wife II. xiii. 260 ‘Cockatoos’, as the station-owners call the other [class of land-purchasers], who ‘spotted’ his run all over with fifty and one hundred acre sections. 1871 N.Z. Parl. Deb. 10 685/2 He..confessed, though with some shame, to have formerly helped a man to spot his run, and to pick out the best pieces of country. 1938 R. M. Burdon High Country 123 Much buying was done in self-defence; for if men did not ‘spot’ their own runs, speculators would do it for them. 1948 L. Lipson Politics of Equality 59 If he wished to gain control over a large area without purchasing all of it, he could pick out or ‘spot’ the best sections, buying only these and leaving the inferior portions which were valueless without adjacent good land. III. To identify, notice, or note, and related senses. 9. transitive (chiefly in passive). Originally cant. To recognize or identify as a criminal or as a person acting suspiciously. Cf. make v.¹ 52f. Now rare except as merged in sense 10. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > testing > accusation, charge > accuse [verb (transitive)] > involve, implicate inculp1612 involve1655 spot1718 implicate1797 inculpate1840 rib1926 society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > break the law [verb (transitive)] > mark as criminal or suspect spot1718 to be known to the police1804 1718 Full Acct. Tryal I. Rabbins, R. Bartlet, J. Chilcot & J. Cooksley 1/2 Isaac, You have been spotted before, How came you to go so far from your own Home now? 1807 Narr. Life H. Tufts iii. iv. 316/2 You're spotted..you are like to be found out. 1871 Galaxy Feb. 193 He knew all the shoplifters and pickpockets, and thus was able to ‘spot’ any of them the moment they entered the shop. 1933 R. Chandler in Black Mask Dec. 13/2 We got you spotted. You were tryin' to peddle some phoney letters. 10. transitive. Originally slang. To catch sight of (something); to mark or note; to recognize or detect. Now the most common sense. ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > attention > notice, observation > observe, note [verb (transitive)] markc1175 note?c1225 heedc1275 apperceivec1300 spyc1380 notec1390 notac1392 registera1393 considerc1400 notifya1425 animadvert?a1475 mind1490 adnote1558 observe1560 quote1560 remark1581 to take note1600 apprehenda1634 to take cognizance of1635 animadverse1642 notice1660 to pass in review1697 smoke1716 cognize1821 spot1848 looky1900 the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > find out, discover [verb (transitive)] > by perception or observation seeOE wita1300 descrivec1300 descrya1450 spyc1515 to see into ——1565 scerne1590 guard1636 discreevec1650 spot1848 embrace1852 sniff1864 the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > succeed in seeing or catch sight of underyetec1000 aspya1250 kenc1275 ofyetec1275 choosea1300 akenc1300 descrivec1300 ofkenc1300 readc1300 espyc1320 descryc1330 spyc1380 discernc1405 discover1553 scan1558 scry1558 decern1559 describe1574 to make out1575 escry1581 interview1587 display1590 to set sight of (in)c1595 sight1602 discreevec1650 glance1656 to catch a glimpse of1679 steal1731 oversee1735 glimpse1779 twig1796 to clap eyes on1838 spot1848 sky1900 the world > action or operation > endeavour > searching or seeking > finding or discovery > find or discover [verb (transitive)] > detect > detect (in) an imposture to see through ——a1450 to find out1545 detect1581 spot1880 tumble1901 rumble1912 1848 ‘N. Buntline’ Mysteries & Miseries N.Y. iv. vi. 49 He spot me, and stop my speculacione—an' it is not ze first time he 'ave done so! 1849 G. G. Foster N.Y. in Slices 15 The expertness acquired by the keepers of these shops in ‘spotting’ their man is truly wonderful. 1861 O. W. Holmes Elsie Venner xxi. 230 The inside Widow having ‘spotted’ the outside one through the blinds. 1868 M. E. Braddon Run to Earth I. i. 17 I saw the landlord spot the notes and gold. 1880 J. Payn Confidential Agent II. 271 Honest John had known him to be a policeman—‘spotted him’, as he had expressed it—at the first glance. 1929 A. M. Lindbergh Let. 5 Oct. in Hour of Gold (1973) 101 We fly over mesas and spot ruins and photograph them. 1940 Life 17 June 88/2 He could spot the difference between dive bombers and any other. 1954 J. Thompson Hell of Woman (1956) xvi. 120 Somehow he'd spotted that I was a little uneasy. 1978 G. Greene Human Factor ii. iii. 84 It doesn't seem very clever if one can spot the dodge so easily. 1989 Sunday Times (Nexis) 25 June Spotting a full-grown male lion, 450lb in weight and nine feet from nose to tail tip, may sound easy enough. 2013 Bon Appétit Mar. 18/2 And if you come to our place, it's easy to spot what we've nicked. 11. transitive. Horse Racing. To correctly predict (the winning horse); to identify (a horse that is likely to win). In later use often merely as a contextual use of sense 10. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > ride horse in race [verb (transitive)] > guess winner spot1855 fancy1922 1855 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Sept. 372/1 Rogers..whose extraordinary success in spotting the winners of the great races, has for the last seven years completely astonished the knowing ones. 1866 G. A. Lawrence Sans Merci II. xix. 251 It was quite a sight to see those two, conning over the handicaps, and ‘spotting’ probable ‘good things’. 1888 E. J. Goodman Too Curious xi. 130 I spotted a few winners. 1922 Daily Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 25 July 3/4 Opinion is so much divided that to spot the winner and back him from now would mean a comfortable sum in pocket. 1987 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 20 Mar. It should not be too long before he's back spotting winners at the metropolitan tracks. 2013 Central Queensland News (Nexis) 5 July 39 Big fields can make it tricky to spot winners but there looks to be a couple of ‘good things’. †12. transitive. slang. To inform on (a person). Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ society > communication > information > informing on or against > inform on or against [verb (transitive)] wrayc725 meldeOE bimeldena1300 forgabc1394 to blow up?a1400 outsay?a1400 detectc1449 denounce1485 ascry1523 inform1526 promote1550 peach1570 blow1575 impeach1617 wheedle1710 split1795 snitch1801 cheep1831 squeal1846 to put away1858 spot1864 report1869 squawk1872 nose1875 finger1877 ruck1884 to turn over1890 to gag on1891 shop1895 pool1907 run1909 peep1911 pot1911 copper1923 finger1929 rat1932 to blow the whistle on1934 grass1936 rat1969 to put in1975 turn1977 1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. i. xii. 121 This man had ‘spotted’ the other, to save himself and get the money. 13. Military. a. intransitive. To determine the position of an enemy target so as to allow a gunner to direct his or her fire; to act as a spotter (spotter n. 4) for a gunner, etc. Also: be on the lookout for an enemy target (cf. sense 13b). ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > military operations > [verb (intransitive)] > reconnoitre akenc1400 scurry1580 reknowledge1582 reconnoitre1777 observe1799 spot1892 recce1943 shufti1943 recon1966 1892 R. L. Stevenson Footnote to Hist. vii. 179 Balls flew; either faction,..spotting for the other in chance shots, and missing. 1915 D. O. Barnett Let. 23 Jan. in In Happy Memory 51 I had a man with a periscope spotting for me, and he registered some near things for the Bosch's face. 1916 ‘B. Cable’ Action Front 135 ‘Stand by for trouble. That brute is spotting for his gun.’ The aeroplane dropped a light, turned, and circled round to the left. 1918 C. Bright Telegr., Aeronaut. & War 51 While he is spotting he is continually subjected to tremendous shelling. 1942 Hutchinson's Pict. Hist. War 18 Mar. 62 (caption) Men of a Cypriot company..spotting for enemy aircraft. 1950 Manch. Guardian 17 July 8 An Army L-17 plane spotted for the ships as they fired at visually sighted enemy observation posts. 1973 R. Dentry Encounter at Kharmel ix. 152 I'll come in low. You spot. I'll be busy. 2010 B. B. Tomblin in G. K. Piehler & S. Pash U.S. & Second World War vi. 150 Enemy fighters harassed the catapult aircraft spotting for the gunfire support ships. b. transitive. To be on the lookout for (an enemy target or position); to identify (an enemy target or position). ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > military operations > [verb (transitive)] > reconnoitre (a place) > the enemy or his position discover1487 recognize1637 recognosce1637 reconnoitre1705 unmask1733 to feel for ——?1795 observe1853 spot1914 1914 Aeroplane 11 Nov. 425/2 He poised..for a spell to spot the lurking place of the battery. 1915 H. Rosher In Royal Naval Air Service (1916) 109 I wasn't going back on the chance of spotting the sheds, with anti-aircraft guns waiting for me below. 1975 Charleston (W. Va.) Daily Mail 24 Mar. a5 Gwin told me once about spotting the enemy for our artillery. 2012 P. Bradley Hell's Battlefield xix. 352 Its men had a strange war, spotting enemy positions and directing artillery fire. 14. transitive. To be the first to identify (a person) as having particular talent or potential as an actor, sportsperson, model, etc. ΚΠ 1899 Eng. Illustr. Mag. July 388/2 She..was spotted by Mr. Lederer, who selected her to play the heroine in ‘The Belle’. The rest belongs to history. 1938 Life 6 June 36 (caption) She was an $18-a-week manicurist..in a Los Angeles barbershop a year ago when a 20th Century-Fox director..spotted her. 1973 Sun 25 May 3 She started her modelling career when a fashion photographer spotted her on a beach near Rimini. 1999 K. Tibbs & B. L. Peterson They don't wanna Wait 14 A Los Angeles talent agent spotted her and convinced her parents..to let him represent her. 2010 LFC Weekly 30 Mar. 10/1 Kelly was spotted by Liverpool at an Alan Kennedy soccer camp during the school holidays. 15. transitive. British. To observe and note the details of (a certain class of objects) as a hobby. See also trainspot v. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > hobby > spotting trains, watching birds, etc. > spot trains, watch birds, etc. [verb (transitive)] spot1913 grice1971 twitch1977 1913 Observer 28 Dec. 10/2 The British Bird Book is probably the best book that has yet appeared to help you in the exciting game of ‘spotting’ birds. 1957 Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Nov. 675/2 As other boys spot railway engines, Alan Villiers as a child in Melbourne spotted and studied the big sailing ships lying at anchor in Port Phillip bay. 2002 C. Winger & D. Winger Highpoint Adventures 32/1 Try your hand at spotting birds from 6:00 PM Friday to 6:00 PM Saturday night, and then compare notes around a community campfire. 2014 Leek (Staffs.) Post & Times (Nexis) 2 Apr. 11 A monthly excursion to spot trains will take place this weekend. 16. transitive. In gymnastics, trampolining, weightlifting, etc.: to be stationed so as to provide safety assistance for (a person engaged in an activity); to assist in the performance of (an activity) in this capacity. Also intransitive. Cf. spotter n. 6. ΚΠ 1934 J. H. McCulloch Gymnastics, Tumbling & Pyramids 23 Each individual should ‘spot’ or act as safety for the succeeding individual. 1948 F. P. Nobbe Tentative Man. for Parallel Bar Perfomers (M.S. thesis, Univ. of S. Calif.) iv. 16 In spotting vaults and dismounts the spotter should stand on the side of the apparatus toward which the performer is apt to fall. 1964 Holland (Mich.) Evening Sentinel 7 July 11/2 (caption) Judy Schutt is in the center doing a walk over while Peg De Witt (hidden) is spotting. 1994 Harper's Mag. Apr. 39/1 They were the ones who lifted me into the air, who spotted me in gymnastics, upon whose shoulders I had to stand to form the obligatory pyramid. 2001 B. Weeks Curling for Dummies xv. 228 Bench press: It's a good idea to have someone spot you when you do these. 2007 S. Coffman Successful Programs for Fitness & Health Clubs iv. 52/1 If you are a women-only club,..use pictures of women working out with free weights and spotting one another. IV. Senses relating to placement. 17. transitive. To place (a billiard ball, a snooker ball, etc.) on a particular spot, esp. the designated starting spot. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [verb (transitive)] > play (the ball) in specific way hazard1674 string1680 miss1746 pocket1756 hole1803 spot1844 nurse1850 draw1860 pot1860 hold1869 dribble1873 fluke1881 scratch1909 1844 E. R. Mardon Billiards 99 Missing the balls, the player must spot a ball. 1873 J. Bennett & ‘Cavendish’ Billiards 139 Spot the white just behind the left-hand corner of the D. 1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 258 If they play billiards, they let their adversary spot the red and take the balls out of the pockets. 1938 Evening Telegr. & Post (Dundee) 10 Dec. 2/5 On very many tables there is a hollow in the spot..which has been caused by some players spotting the red with a bit of a bang. 1988 I. Morrison Billiards & Snooker 13/2 After a foul in billiards the non-offending player has the choice of playing from where the balls come to rest or having them spotted and playing from ‘in-hand’. 1991 L. Orde By Blood Divided x. 173 Jimmy slapped the rack around the fifteen red balls, spotted the black, pink, and blue. 2003 Calgary (Alberta) Herald (Nexis) 6 Apr. c1 The player's opponent may then spot the ball anywhere on the table. 18. transitive. U.S. slang. To shoot (a person); to kill (a person). Cf. on the spot adv. and adj. Phrases 2a. Now rare. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > fire (a gun) [verb (transitive)] > shoot (a person or thing) shoot1617 to bird off1688 to knock downa1744 to pick off1745 pop1762 drill1808 plug1833 perforate1838 slap1842 stop1845 pot1860 spot1882 plunk1888 pip1900 souvenir1915 poop1917 spray1922 smoke1926 zap1942 crack1943 pot-shoot1969 1882 B. Harte Flip ii. 32 It's an even thing if she wouldn't spot me the first pop [i.e. with a pistol]. 1926 H. W. Odum & G. B. Johnson Negro Workaday Songs viii. 150 Han' on my gun, Finger on de trigger, I's goin' to jail 'Cause I's done spot my nigger. 1934 B. Appel Brain Guy xxiii. 341 Holy Christ, McMann spotted. Tough... They considered the fact of Duffy and McMann wiped out in so short a space, right after one another. Who was left? 1939 R. Chandler Big Sleep xiv. 96 At a dollar a rental you take one hundred and twenty-five grand..that's enough to spot a guy for. 19. North American. a. transitive. To place (a railway car) in a specific place, esp. one that is suitable for loading or unloading. ΘΚΠ society > travel > rail travel > [verb (transitive)] > leave the rails jump1883 spot1891 skip1903 the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)] > situate setc950 markc1400 situate?a1425 site?c1425 plant1558 seat1603 emplacea1627 position1817 to set down1827 spot1891 1891 Switchmen's Jrnl. Apr. 728/2 Our worthy master, C. H. Rice, is still spotting cars for the freight hustlers. 1894 Railway World 10 Feb. 112/1 ‘Spotting’ cars is placing them in position to be loaded. 1901 Bedford (Indiana) Weekly Mail 8 Feb. Seventy-five cars of ice a day are now being harvested at Cedar Lake. The Monon has a train there engaged in ‘spotting the cars’. 1936 B. Brooker Think of Earth i. iii. 38 It was a wilderness of rusting steel and rotten ties where old dump-cars were ‘spotted’ for repairs. 1956 T. H. Raddall Wings of Night xii. 106 You might phone the railway people and tell 'em to spot four or five boxcars on the Hall's Creek siding not later than Tuesday. 2005 Jrnl. Commerce (Nexis) 2 Sept. The port's Terminal Railway is spotting railcars at general cargo terminals for loading operations. b. transitive. To place (something) in a particular location. Cf. sense 6a. Now somewhat rare. ΘΚΠ the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > place or put in a position [verb (transitive)] doeOE layc950 seta1000 puta1225 dight1297 pilt?a1300 stow1362 stick1372 bestowc1374 affichea1382 posec1385 couchc1386 dressa1387 assize1393 yarkc1400 sita1425 place1442 colloque1490 siegea1500 stake1513 win1515 plat1529 collocate1548 campc1550 posit1645 posture1645 constitute1652 impose1681 sist1852 shove1902 spot1937 1937 Liberty 25 Dec. 20/1 Already strategically spotted throughout..our population are sergeants and lieutenants and chiefs of police of the new ‘supertrained’ school. 1947 Sun (Baltimore) 13 May 6/3 Passengers would walk..under cover to their planes spotted alongside the pier. 1948 Life 6 Sept. 59/1 Foresight and planning have spotted them [sc. Madison's parks] throughout the city instead of concentrating all park land in one place. 1970 J. H. Gray Boy from Winnipeg 55 The rest of us spotted our lunch kits, towels, and swimming things at a convenient table. 1979 Arizona Daily Star 22 July i. 6/4 If you're playing a Nevada audience, you can't give them all new stuff, and you have to be careful how you spot it. 20. intransitive. Basketball. to spot up: (of an offensive player) to take up a position, typically at some distance from the basket, that is suitable for taking a jump shot immediately upon receiving the ball. Cf. spot-up n. ΚΠ 1975 Scholastic Coach Nov. 19/1 3 has a shot or he can pass to #5... If #3 decides to do neither, he must look to #1 ‘spotting up’ on the weak side. 1988 Assoc. Press (Nexis) 14 Jan. Danny and I spot up and if the shot's there were [sic] taking it. 1992 Boston Globe 1 Aug. 40/3 The USA depth simply overwhelmed the Brazilians, who watched helplessly as Pippen soared in for dunks or Chris Jullin..spotted up for threes and long twos. 2011 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 9 Jan. (Sports section) 5/3 Phoenix switched to a zone in the second half, allowing the Knicks' 3-point shooters to spot up. V. transitive with direct and indirect object. To give, grant, and related senses. 21. a. U.S. Sport colloquial. To grant or provide (an advantage or handicap) to (an opponent), esp. so as to make a contest more even. [Perhaps showing a specific semantic development from sense 17; in some versions of billiards, a handicapped player must re-spot a ball which has been legally potted.] ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > winning, losing, or scoring > win, lose, or score [verb (transitive)] > concede lead or advantage to spot1896 1896 G. Ade Artie 31 Artie was the better player and usually had to ‘spot’ three [billiard balls]. 1934 J. T. Farrell Young Manhood Studs Lonigan x. 163 We'll play fifty straight pool, and I'll spot you ten. 1939 Sun (Baltimore) 21 June 14/2 No fighter can spot Mr. Joe Louis his entire offensive program and hope to wrest the world's championship from him. 1972 Newsweek 31 July 42/3 After arrogantly spotting Spassky a two-game lead, Fischer had proceeded to catch up to his opponent. 1985 Los Angeles Times 14 July iii. 6/2 The Dodgers,..could have spotted the Cubs an extra out for nine innings, and it wouldn't have mattered. 2014 Mt. Airy (N. Carolina) News (Nexis) 12 Dec. The forfeits spotted the opponents 24 points right off the bat. b. In non-sporting contexts: to grant (an advantage) to (a person) so as provide him or her with a greater chance of succeeding. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial to [verb (transitive)] > provide with advantages spot1930 featherbed1949 1930 Sat. Evening Post 3 May 210/3 ‘Going to leave that stuff here?’ ‘No, I'll take it.’ Again Manning laughed. ‘Spotting me a pack on your back, eh?’ 1935 J. T. Farrell Judgment Day i. iv. v. 93 Your old man could spot both of you a good-sized pint and still watch you pass out. 1982 G. V. Higgins Patriot Game viii. 57 This is a guy that couldn't spell cat unless you spotted him the c and the a. 1992 N.Y. Times 9 June a24/6 In the present political environment, he said, ‘with women the embodiment of outsiderism’, men ‘are spotting them 10 points before the campaigns even get off the ground’. 22. North American slang. To give or lend (an amount of money) to (a person). ΚΠ 1921 Lexington (Kentucky) Herald 28 Nov. 3/4 Joe's brother spotted him a dollar bill every time he knocked a home run last season. 1972 D. J. Schleich No Sweet Land (M.A. thesis, Univ. of Alberta) vi. 39 Christ Giffen; spot me a fin at least... I need the cash. 1990 Manhattan, Inc. June 65/1 Eddie, I know you're short on cash. Come and pick me up from work..and I'll spot you $300. 1994 Sunday Star (Toronto) 20 Nov. a6 I go into a roadside restaurant and say ‘Can I wash dishes?’ Most places say yes, and then spot me a few bucks. 2008 S. De La Pava Naked Singularity ix. 255 What if I asked one of the many people bouncing about to spot me a couple of bucks? Phrases P1. spot the ball: (the name of) a type of game or competition, the object of which is to correctly guess and mark the position of a ball on a photograph of a sports match (often a football match) from which the ball has been removed; also attributive, esp. in spot the ball competition. ΚΠ 1930 Washington Post 27 July (Sports section) m17/3 (heading) ‘Spot the Ball’—a new game calling on luck and skill; test your judgement and win 4 seats to Nats' contests. 1969 Times 19 Sept. 3/4 ‘Spot the ball’ competitions..appear weekly in some 250 British publications. 1992 G. Whannel in D. Strinati & S. Wagg Come on Down? (1995) vii. 181 Games like Spot the Ball grew alongside the football pools in the 1930s. 2011 Private Eye 23 Dec. 8/3 Both series become tedious exercises in ironic hindsight, rather like looking at the solution photo in a Spot the Ball contest before looking at the one that asks you to put in the X. P2. spot the difference: (the name of) a type of puzzle, the object of which is to identify a specified number of differences between two almost identical images (chiefly attributive); also used allusively and humorously to imply that two ostensibly different people or things are actually virtually interchangeable. ΚΠ 1968 Photogr. Jrnl. Apr. 102/1 We have found that most people who attempt ‘spot the difference’ competitions under laboratory conditions do this. 1988 Circa No. 40. 43/3 These drawings have to be looked at closely, like spot-the-difference puzzles. 1999 Elephant & Castle (Coventry Univ. Students' Union) Oct. 13/3 Boyzone, Westlife—spot the difference, no I couldn't either. Another boy band ballad, easy listening. 2003 Church Times 10 Oct. 28/2 One became an atheist, another a non-realist theist (spot the difference). 2015 L. Stein tr. M. Houellebecq Submission 184 The two young Arab girls were hunched over the copy of Picsou, playing ‘Spot the Difference’. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < n.¹adv.OEn.²1851v.a1413
随便看	synedrian synedrion synedrium synedrous syneideses syneidesis synema synemata synencephalocele synenergetical synenergy synepigonic synergetic synergetical synergetically synergetics synergia synergias synergic synergically synergid synergid cell synergidal synergids synergies

spotn.1adv.

Phrases

Compounds

Derivatives

spotn.2

spotv.

Phrases

spotn.¹adv.

spotn.²