spot

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
spot/spɒt/

▶noun

• 1 a small round or roundish mark, differing in colour or texture from the surface around it.

  ■ chiefly N. Amer. a pip on a domino, playing card, or dice.

  ■ short for penalty spot.

• 2 a pimple.

• 3 a particular place, point, or position.

  ■ a small feature or part with a particular quality: his bald spot.

  ■ a place for an individual item within a show.

• 4 informal, chiefly Brit. a small amount of something: a spot of lunch.

• 5 [as modifier] denoting a system of trading in which commodities or currencies are delivered and paid for immediately after a sale.

• 6 (also spot board) a board for working plaster before application.

• 7 [in combination] informal, chiefly N. Amer. a banknote of a specified value.

▶verb (spots, spotting, spotted)

• 1 see, notice, or recognize (someone or something difficult to detect or sought-after).

  ■ Military locate an enemy's position, typically from the air.

  ■ (in weight training, gymnastics, etc.) observe (a performer) in order to minimize the risk of accidents or injuries.

• 2 mark or become marked with spots.

• 3 (it spots, it is spotting, etc.) rain slightly.

• 4 place (a ball) on its designated starting point on a billiard table.

• 5 N. Amer. informal give or lend (money) to.

  ■ allow (an advantage) to (someone) in a game or sport.

– phrases
hit the spot informal be exactly what is required.
in a spot informal in a difficult situation.
on the spot

• 1 immediately.

• 2 at the scene of an action or event.

• 3 Brit. (of an action) performed without moving from one's original position.

put someone on the spot informal force someone into a situation in which they must respond or act.
spot on Brit. informal completely accurate or accurately.

– derivatives
spotted adjective,
spottedness noun.

– origin ME: perh. from MDu. spotte.