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spot·light noun 1 : a circle of brilliant light projected upon a particular area, person, or object (as on a stage); also : the device that produces this light

2 : public notice

— spotlight verb

spot–on adjective : exactly correct

spotted adjective : having spots

Synonyms

dappled, mottled, pied, spotty, variegated; also moiré, veined; motley, multicolored; piebald, roan

spotted owl noun : a rare large dark brown dark-eyed owl of humid old growth forests and thickly wooded canyons from British Columbia to southern California and central Mexico

spot·ter noun 1 : one that keeps watch : OBSERVER

2 : one that removes spots

spot·ty adjective spot·ti·er; -est 1 : uneven in quality; also : sparsely distributed <~ attendance>

2 : marked with spots : SPOTTED

Synonyms

casual, choppy, discontinuous, erratic, fitful, intermittent, irregular, occasional, spasmodic, sporadic, unsteady—more at FITFUL

spou·sal noun : MARRIAGE 2,WEDDING — usu. used in pl.

spouse noun : one's partner in a marriage (as husband or wife)

— spou·sal adjective

Synonyms

consort, mate, partner; also husband, wife

1spout verb 1 : to eject or issue forth forcibly and freely

2 : to speak pompously

3 : to speak or utter readily, volubly, and at length

Synonyms

[1] gush, jet, pour, rush, spew, spurt, squirt—more at GUSH

[1] belch, disgorge, eject, erupt, expel—more at ERUPT

[2, 3] bluster, fulminate, rant, rave—more at RANT

usually spout off [3] sound off, speak up

2spout noun 1 : a pipe or hole through which liquid spouts

2 : a jet of liquid; especially : WATERSPOUT 2

Synonyms

drainpipe, gutter, trough—more at GUTTER

spp abbreviation, plural species

1sprain noun : a sudden or severe twisting of a joint with stretching or tearing of ligaments; also : a sprained condition

2sprain verb : to subject to sprain

sprat noun : a small European fish related to the herring; also : SARDINE

sprawl verb 1 : to lie or sit with limbs spread out awkwardly

2 : to spread out irregularly

— sprawl noun

1spray noun : a usu. flowering branch; also : a decorative arrangement of flowers and foliage

2spray noun 1 : liquid flying in small drops like water blown from a wave

2 : a jet of fine vapor (as from an atomizer)

3 : an instrument (as an atomizer) for scattering fine liquid

3spray verb 1 : to scatter or let fall in a spray

2 : to discharge spray on or into

— spray·er noun

Synonyms

dot, pepper, scatter, sow, sprinkle, strew—more at SCATTER

spray can noun : a pressurized container from which aerosols are sprayed

spray gun noun : a device for spraying liquids (as paint or insecticide)

1spread verb spread; spread·ing 1 : to scatter over a surface

2 : to flatten out : open out

3 : to distribute over a period of time or among many persons

4 : to cover something with <~ rugs on the floor>

5 : to prepare for a meal <~ a table>

6 : to pass on from person to person

7 : to stretch, force, or push apart

8 : to make widely known

— spread·er noun

Synonyms

usually spread out [2] expand, extend, fan, flare, open, stretch, unfold

[3] broadcast, circulate, disseminate, propagate, strew; also radiate; diffuse, dispense, disperse, dissipate, scatter, sow; communicate, pass (on), transmit

[6, 8] communicate, convey, impart, transfer, transfuse, transmit—more at COMMUNICATE

2spread noun 1 : the act or process of spreading

2 : a surface area : EXPANSE

3 : a prominent display in a periodical

4 : a food to be spread on bread or crackers

5 : a cloth cover for a bed

6 : distance between two points

7 : a sumptuous meal

Synonyms

[2] breadth, expanse, extent, reach, stretch—more at EXPANSE

[5] bedspread, counterpane—more at COUNTERPANE

[6] distance, lead, length, remove, stretch, way—more at DISTANCE

[7] banquet, dinner, feast, feed—more at FEAST

spread·sheet noun : an accounting program for a computer

spree noun : an unrestrained outburst ; also : a drinking