n.
Function: verb
Inflected Form: spot · ted ; spot · ting
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to stain the character or reputation of : DISGRACE
2 : to mark in or with a spot : STAIN
3 : to locate or identify by a spot
4 a : to single out : IDENTIFY especially : to note as a known criminal or a suspicious person b : DETECT , NOTICE < spot a mistake> c (1) : to locate accurately < spot an enemy position> (2) : to cause to strike accurately < spot the battery's fire>
5 a : to lie at intervals in or over : STUD b : to place at intervals or in a desired spot < spot field telephones> c : to fix in or as if in the beam of a spotlight d : to schedule in a particular spot or at a particular time
6 : to remove a spot from
7 : to allow as a handicap
intransitive verb
1 : to become stained or discolored in spots
2 : to cause a spot
3 : to act as a spotter especially : to locate targets
4 : to experience abnormal and sporadic bleeding in small amounts from the uterus
– spot · ta · ble \ ' spä-t ə -b ə l \ adjective