📒 a small round area that has a different colour or feels different from the surface it is on
- Which has spots, the leopard or the tiger?
- The male bird has a red spot on its beak.
- (British English) She was wearing a black skirt with white spots.
📒 a small mark or lump on a person’s skin, sometimes with a yellow head to it
- The baby's whole body was covered in small red spots.
- He had a large spot on his nose.
- The aim of acne treatments is to shorten the length of time someone has spots.
📒 a small dirty mark on something
- His jacket was covered with spots of mud.
- rust spots
- There were grease spots all over the walls.
📒 a particular area or place
- a quiet/secluded/lonely spot
- This is a favourite spot for walkers and climbers.
- I won't drive around for 20 minutes looking for a parking spot.
📒 a small feature or part of somebody/something with a particular quality
- He usually wears a hat to hide his bald spot.
- (figurative) Try to identify the weak spots in your performance.
- (figurative) From her angry reply it was obvious that I had touched a sensitive spot.
📒 a small amount of something
- He's in a spot of trouble.
- Would you like a spot of lunch?
- She’s gone out to do a spot of shopping.
📒 a small amount of a liquid
- I felt a few spots of rain.
- There was a spot of rain in the afternoon, but otherwise the weather has been perfect.
📒 a part of a television, radio, club or theatre show that is given to a particular person or type of entertainment
📒 a position in a competition, event or team
- two teams battling for (the) top spot
- She has earned a spot on the national team.
- Glamorgan claimed the top spot in the League.
📒 a spotlight (= a light with a single, very bright beam that can be directed at a particular place or person, especially a performer on the stage)
📒 a good or pleasant part of something that is unpleasant or bad in all other ways
- The win last week was the only bright spot in their last ten games.
- The birth of my son was the one bright spot in a terrible year.
📒 not able to move, for example because you are frightened or surprised
- I stood rooted to the spot with terror.
📒 to like somebody/something
- She's always had a soft spot for you.
📒 if something hits the spot it does exactly what it should do
📒 in a difficult situation
- She’ll always help you if you’re in a spot.
- This could put the banks in a tight spot.
- The captain's knee injury leaves the team in a tight corner.
📒 to be very much better than somebody/something
- She knocks spots off all the other candidates.
📒 people cannot change their character, especially if they have a bad character
- You didn’t really expect her to be on time, did you? A leopard can’t change its spots.
📒 immediately
- He answered the question on the spot.
- an on-the-spot parking fine
📒 at the actual place where something is happening
- An ambulance was on the spot within minutes.
- an on-the-spot report
📒 in one exact place, without moving in any direction
- Running on the spot is good exercise.
📒 to make somebody feel uncomfortable or embarrassed by asking them a difficult question
- The interviewer's questions really put him on the spot.