spotting

spot  (spt)

n.

1. A place of relatively small and definite limits.

2.

a. A mark on a surface differing sharply in color from its surroundings.

b. A blemish, mark, or pimple on the skin.

c. A stain or blot.

3. Games

a. A mark or pip on a playing card; a spade, club, diamond, or heart.

b. A playing card with a specified number of such marks on it indicating its value.

4. Informal A piece of paper money worth a specified number of dollars.

5.

a. A location; a locale.

b. A point of interest: There are a lot of spots to visit in the old city.

c. A position or an item in an ordered arrangement.

6. Informal A situation, especially a troublesome one.

7. A flaw in one's reputation or character.

8. A short presentation or commercial on television or radio between major programs: a news spot.

9. Informal A spotlight.

10. pl. spot or spots A small croaker (Leiostomus xanthurus) of North American Atlantic waters, having a dark mark above each pectoral fin and valued as a food and sport fish.

11. Chiefly British A small amount; a bit.

v. spot·ted, spot·ting, spots

v.tr.

1. To cause a spot or spots to appear on, especially:

a. To soil with spots.

b. To decorate with spots; dot.

2. To harm; besmirch.

3. To place in a particular location; situate precisely.

4. To detect or discern, especially visually; spy.

5. To remove spots from, as in a laundry.

6. Sports To yield a favorable scoring margin to: spotted their opponents 11 points.

7. Sports To act as a spotter for (a gymnast, for example).

8. Informal To lend: Can you spot me $25 until payday?

v.intr.

1. To become marked with spots.

2. To cause a discoloration or make a stain.

3. To locate targets from the air during combat or training missions.

adj.

1. Made, paid, or delivered immediately: a spot sale.

2. Of, relating to, or being a market in which payment or delivery is immediate: the spot market in oil.

3. Involving random or selective instances or actions: a spot investigation.

4. Presented between major radio or television programs: a spot announcement.

Idioms:

in spots

Now and then; here and there; occasionally.

on the spot

1. Without delay; at once.

2. At the scene of action.

3. Under pressure or attention; in a pressed position.

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[Middle English, from Old English.]

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spotta·ble adj.

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1. A process of determining by visual or electronic observation, deviations of artillery or naval gunfire from the target in relation to a spotting line for the purpose of supplying necessary information for the adjustment or analysis of fire. (DOD)
2. An aircraft is parked in an approved shipboard landing site. See also spot; spotting line.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	spotting - the act of spotting or staining something maculation, staining dirtying, soiling, soilure - the act of soiling something
	2.	spotting - the act of detecting something; catching sight of something espial, catching, detection, spying discovery, find, uncovering - the act of discovering something