black spot
1
5.3
- noun
- /blæk spɑt/
- Informal
:
punto negro
- Many believe that poor customer service is a black spot in the retail industry.
Examples
-
It would be a black spot on the honor of German insurance companies.
Fiction book (1991) -
The scandal was viewed as a black spot on the organization's reputation.
-
The team's recent performance represents a black spot in their otherwise successful season.
Synonyms
24
2.7
A part that others can easily attack or use against someone
15
3.9
A small mark that spoils the look of skin or an object
8
5.3
An area a person does not notice or understand that causes bad decisions
7
5.8
A thing that makes people think less of someone
A small spot on a surface showing an imperfection
Antonyms
How Serious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense can be partly derived from the parts: 'black' carries negative/blemish connotations and 'spot' can mean a place or stain, so a learner could infer a negative place or blemish. However, the exact nuance — e.g. a trouble spot or technical 'accident black spot' — is a metaphorical extension that is not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The noun _black spot_ may come from the simple image of a dark mark put on a map or record to show a bad or dangerous place. That's why calling something a black spot means 'an area of trouble' or a weakness.