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spotlit

 - 3 dictionary results

spot⋅light

[spot-lahyt] noun, verb, -light⋅ed or -lit, -light⋅ing.
–noun
1. a strong, focused light thrown upon a particular spot, as on a small area of a stage or in a television studio, for making some object, person, or group especially conspicuous.
2. a lamp for producing such a light.
3. a brilliant light with a focused beam, mounted on the side of an automobile and used for illuminating objects not within range of the headlights.
4. the area of immediate or conspicuous public attention: Asia is in the spotlight now.
–verb (used with object)
5. to direct the beam of a spotlight upon; light with a spotlight.
6. to make conspicuous; call attention to: Newspapers spotlighted the story for a week.
7. to hunt (animals) using a spotlight in order to temporarily blind or confuse them.
–verb (used without object)
8. to hunt by using a spotlight.

Origin:
1910–15; spot + light 1


spotlighter, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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spot·light   (spŏt'līt')   
n.  
    1. A strong beam of light that illuminates only a small area, used especially to center attention on a stage performer.

    2. A lamp that produces such a light.

  1. Public notoriety or prominence: She was in the spotlight after she won the marathon.

  2. An artificial source of light with a strongly focused beam, as on an automobile.

tr.v.   spot·light·ed or spot·lit (-lĭt), spot·light·ing, spot·lights
  1. To illuminate with a spotlight.

  2. To focus attention on.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

spotlight  (n.)
1904, from spot (n.) + light (n.). Originally a theatrical equipment; fig. sense is attested from 1916. The verb is first recorded 1923.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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