" spots "

1: a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part;

  * e.g., " ... in summer the white coat of the snow leopard is studded with brownish black spots "

•  Synonyms : 

•  blotches,

•  dapples,

•  dots,

•  eyespots,

•  flecks,

•  mottles,

•  patches,

•  pips,

•  points,

•  speckles,

•  specks,

•  splotches

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape;

  * e.g., " ... we're in a bit of a spot right now with our mortgage payments "

•  Synonyms : 

•  binds,

•  boxes,

•  catch-22's,

•  corners,

•  dilemmas,

•  fixes,

•  holes,

•  impasses,

•  jackpots,

•  jams,

•  mires,

•  pickles,

•  predicaments,

•  quagmires,

•  rabbit holes,

•  rattraps,

•  sticky wickets,

•  swamps

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: a mark of guilt or disgrace;

  * e.g., " ... scandalous conduct that will forever be a spot upon the family name "

•  Synonyms : 

•  blots,

•  brands,

•  onuses,

•  slurs,

•  smirches,

•  smudges,

•  stains,

•  stigmas,

•  taints

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part;

  * e.g., " ... in summer the white coat of the snow leopard is studded with brownish black spots "

•  Synonyms : 

•  blotch,

•  dapple,

•  dot,

•  eyespot,

•  fleck,

•  mottle,

•  patch,

•  pip,

•  point,

•  speck,

•  speckle,

•  splotch

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape;

  * e.g., " ... we're in a bit of a spot right now with our mortgage payments "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bind,

•  box,

•  catch-22,

•  corner,

•  dilemma,

•  fix,

•  hole,

•  impasse,

•  jackpot,

•  jam,

•  mire,

•  pickle,

•  predicament,

•  quagmire,

•  rabbit hole,

•  rattrap,

•  sticky wicket,

•  swamp

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: a mark of guilt or disgrace;

  * e.g., " ... scandalous conduct that will forever be a spot upon the family name "

•  Synonyms : 

•  blot,

•  brand,

•  onus,

•  slur,

•  smirch,

•  smudge,

•  stain,

•  stigma,

•  taint

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: as in playgrounds, happy hunting grounds;

•  Synonyms : 

•  happy hunting grounds,

•  hives,

•  hotbeds,

•  playgrounds,

•  playlands,

•  headquarters,

•  kernels,

•  nubs,

•  piths,

•  axes,

•  bases,

•  capitals,

•  centers,

•  centrals,

•  cores,

•  cynosures,

•  epicenters,

•  eyes,

•  foci,

•  ground zeros,

•  hearts,

•  hubs,

•  loci,

•  meccas,

•  navels,

•  nerve centers,

•  nexuses,

•  nuclei,

•  omphali,

•  seats,

•  deeps,

•  thicks,

•  essences,

•  quintessences,

•  souls,

•  attractions,

•  lodestones,

•  magnets,

•  polestars

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: a vulnerable point;

  * e.g., " ... a huge trade imbalance continued to be the soft spot in the nation's economy "

•  Synonyms : 

•  Achilles' heels,

•  backs,

•  chinks,

•  jugulars,

•  underbellies

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to mark with small spots especially unevenly;

  * e.g., " ... to give the effect of sunlight on water, the artist spotted the lake in his painting with flecks of gold paint "

•  Synonyms : 

•  blotches,

•  dapples,

•  dots,

•  flecks,

•  freckles,

•  marbles,

•  mottles,

•  peppers,

•  shoots,

•  speckles,

•  specks,

•  splotches,

•  sprinkles,

•  stipples

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes;

  * e.g., " ... I spotted both of them as they tried to sneak out the back door "

•  Synonyms : 

•  beholds,

•  catches,

•  descries,

•  discerns,

•  distinguishes,

•  espies,

•  eyes,

•  looks (at),

•  notes,

•  notices,

•  observes,

•  perceives,

•  regards,

•  remarks,

•  sees,

•  sights,

•  spies,

•  views,

•  witnesses

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on;

  * e.g., " ... the TV networks had spotted reporters all over the state for the election "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bestrews,

•  dots,

•  peppers,

•  scatters,

•  sows,

•  sprays,

•  sprinkles,

•  strews

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to mark with small spots especially unevenly;

  * e.g., " ... to give the effect of sunlight on water, the artist spotted the lake in his painting with flecks of gold paint "

•  Synonyms : 

•  blotch,

•  dapple,

•  dot,

•  fleck,

•  freckle,

•  marble,

•  mottle,

•  pepper,

•  shoot,

•  speck,

•  speckle,

•  splotch,

•  sprinkle,

•  stipple

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes;

  * e.g., " ... I spotted both of them as they tried to sneak out the back door "

•  Synonyms : 

•  behold,

•  catch,

•  descry,

•  discern,

•  distinguish,

•  espy,

•  eye,

•  look (at),

•  note,

•  notice,

•  observe,

•  perceive,

•  regard,

•  remark,

•  see,

•  sight,

•  spy,

•  view,

•  witness

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: to cover by or as if by scattering something over or on;

  * e.g., " ... the TV networks had spotted reporters all over the state for the election "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bestrew,

•  dot,

•  pepper,

•  scatter,

•  sow,

•  spray,

•  sprinkle,

•  strew

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner;

  * e.g., " ... a good carpenter hits a nail just two or three times to drive it in "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bang,

•  bash,

•  bat,

•  belt,

•  biff,

•  bludgeon,

•  bob,

•  bonk,

•  bop,

•  box,

•  bust,

•  clap,

•  clip,

•  clobber,

•  clock,

•  clout,

•  crack,

•  hammer,

•  knock,

•  nail,

•  paste,

•  pound,

•  punch,

•  rap,

•  slam,

•  slap,

•  slog,

•  slug,

•  smack,

•  smite,

•  sock,

•  strike,

•  swat,

•  swipe,

•  tag,

•  thump,

•  thwack,

•  wallop,

•  whack,

•  whale,

•  zap

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

2: to come into usually forceful contact with something;

  * e.g., " ... when she fell on the ice, she hit hard and badly bruised her elbow "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bang,

•  bash,

•  bump,

•  collide,

•  crash,

•  impact,

•  impinge,

•  knock,

•  ram,

•  slam,

•  smash,

•  strike,

•  swipe,

•  thud

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

3: to obtain (as a goal) through effort;

  * e.g., " ... the rock band hit the big time with their third album "

•  Synonyms : 

•  achieve,

•  attain,

•  bag,

•  chalk up,

•  clock (up),

•  gain,

•  log,

•  make,

•  notch (up),

•  rack up,

•  ring up,

•  score,

•  win

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to come upon after searching, study, or effort;

  * e.g., " ... the doctor finally hit on what was wrong with the pain-wracked woman "

•  Synonyms : 

•  ascertain,

•  descry,

•  detect,

•  determine,

•  dig out,

•  dig up,

•  discover,

•  dredge (up),

•  ferret (out),

•  find,

•  find out,

•  get,

•  hunt (down or up),

•  learn,

•  locate,

•  nose out,

•  root (out),

•  rout (out),

•  rummage,

•  run down,

•  scare up,

•  scout (up),

•  track (down),

•  turn up

•  Antonyms : 

•  miss,

•  overlook,

•  pass over

1: to make a request of;

  * e.g., " ... she's always hitting me up for money "

•  Synonyms : 

•  ask,

•  request,

•  solicit

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to come upon unexpectedly or by chance;

  * e.g., " ... the popular belief that Sir Isaac Newton hit upon his understanding of gravity at the sight of an apple falling from a tree "

•  Synonyms : 

•  chance (upon),

•  encounter,

•  find,

•  happen (on or upon),

•  light (on or upon),

•  meet,

•  pitch (upon),

•  stumble (on or onto),

•  tumble (upon)

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)