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to bespot

to bespot

9.9
Mark something with small spots, often by drops of liquid
  • verb
  • Archaic
translation icon : manchar
  • The painter accidentally bespotted the canvas with drops of red paint.

Examples

  • Raindrops bespotted the windshield as the storm began.

  • Don't bespot the walls with paint!

  • Over time, mildew and moss bespot the old stone wall.

  • She bespot the vase.

  • Over time, mildew will bespot the old stone wall.

  • Make sure the paint doesn't bespot the furniture while you work.

  • The ink began to bespot the pages of the book.

Synonyms

to spot
vsto bespot
46 2.2

To make a small mark or stain on something

is neutral marking by spots not specifically for identification
to blotch
vsto bespot
2 5.3

To mark something with irregular spots of a different color

is about spots rather than larger irregular stained patches
to splotch
vsto bespot
2 6.7

To put uneven marks of color or liquid on a surface

is general marking with spots not only caused by liquid
to bespeckle
vsto bespot
9.6

To mark something with small spots

is broader and not limited to tiny or fine specks

Antonyms

1.0

To remove dirt and stains

Remove marks or stains from a surface so it looks clean

How Spotted

to speckle
15 3.9
to bespot
  • Archaic
9.9
to spot
46 2.2
to fleck
10 6.0
to dot
42 1.0

Surface Forms

bespot infinitive
bespotted past
bespotted past participle
bespotting present participle
bespots third person singular

Morphology

bespot = spot (transparent) = be + spot

The productive prefix 'be-' plus the clear lexical base 'spot' yields a directly predictable meaning 'to make or cover with spots'.

Etymology

Bespot comes from the small prefix be- and the word spot. The be- part means 'make' or 'cover with', so to bespot something is to mark it 'with spots', which explains the modern sense of marking or covering with spots.