to spot
- verb
- /spɑt/
- When you enter the forest, try to spot any wildlife along the trail.
- easy to spot
- easily spot
- able to spot
And once there, he spots her from a distance.
- And once there, he spots her from a distance.
- Look who Rosie spotted in the wild.
- America has become unable to spot nuance and have any middle ground.
- So you want to spot when does that thought arrive?
- See if you can spot which one is my house.
- And we hadn't, we hadn't spotted that that was the route.
- And, you know, how do we spot the fakes from the reels?
- Let's say you did spot a UFO, right, Right.
- And you notice everybody spots this T factor.
Examples
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See if you can spot which one is my house.
-
So, you know, you can start to spot some patterns here.
-
Hard to spot, but it's there.
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A new pair of eyes may spot something that you have missed.
Academic text (2011) -
And once there, he spots her from a distance.
-
Harvey says he spotted you playing by the old service steps.
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At least I know how to spot a phony.
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Maybe she'll be able to spot something that I've missed.
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Problem identification involves first spotting an area of difficulty for students.
Academic text (2015) -
The first tornado of the month was spotted near Shamrock, Texas, on 7 May.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
To see or hear someone and know who they are
To find the exact place or cause of something
To see, hear, or understand something when it is hard
Notice something and pay attention to it
To notice something that is hard to see or hear
Notice a sound or sight among other things
To notice something suddenly or after looking for it
To see something partly or far away
To see a person or thing that is hard to notice
Antonyms
Idioms
Immediately at the exact place where something happens, often needing a quick response
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
Force someone to answer or act without time to prepare when they feel uncomfortable
- Specialized
To intentionally block a single radio or radar frequency using electronic signals
Compounds
- Specialized
A place where people buy and sell things like oil or currency to be delivered right away
- Specialized
A small area in the eye where the optic nerve enters and you cannot see
- Jargon
A fourth batter in the batting order, usually the strong hitter who tries to make runners score
- Specialized
A way to join metal sheets by melting small points with heat and pressure using electricity for example in cars
- Specialized
A small metal join made by heating and pressing two pieces together at one point
- Informal
A cheap, slightly shabby bar or restaurant liked for its relaxed, fun atmosphere
- Specialized
A way of joining metal pieces by making small hot spots that melt them together
- Australian
A fungus that makes yellow spots on sugarcane leaves and harms the crop
- Specialized
A small yellow area at the back of the eye that gives clear central vision
How Clear
Surface Forms
Etymology
Spot as a verb comes from the noun for a 'mark' that stands out, so to 'spot' something is to 'see' it like you see a mark among others. That's why to spot someone or something means to notice or identify it, often when it is hard to see.