blot

¹

[blot]

noun

1. a spot or stain, especially of ink on paper.

   Synonyms: blotch

2. a blemish on a person's character or reputation.

   He had been haunted by a blot on his past.

   Synonyms: spot, disgrace, dishonor, taint, stain

3. Archaic.,  an erasure or obliteration, as in a writing.

verb (used with object)

blotted, blotting 

1. to spot, stain, soil, or the like.

   Synonyms: disfigure, sully

2. to darken; make dim; obscure or eclipse (usually followed byout ).

   We watched as the moon blotted out the sun.

   Synonyms: expunge, erase, efface, obliterate

3. to dry with absorbent paper or the like.

   to blot the wet pane.

4. to remove with absorbent paper or the like.

   Synonyms: absorb

verb (used without object)

blotted, blotting 

1. to make a blot; spread ink, dye, etc., in a stain.

   The more slowly I write, the more this pen blots.

2. to become blotted or stained.

   This paper blots too easily.

3. Chemistry.,  to transfer an array of separated components of a mixture to a chemically treated paper for analysis.

verb phrase

1. blot out

   1. to make indistinguishable; obliterate.

      to blot out a name from the record.

   2. to wipe out completely; destroy.

      Whole cities were blotted out by bombs.

blot

²

[blot]

noun

1. Backgammon.,  an exposed piece liable to be taken or forfeited.

2. Archaic.,  an exposed or weak point, as in an argument or course of action.

blot

¹

/ blɒt /

noun

1. a stain or spot of ink, paint, dirt, etc

2. something that spoils or detracts from the beauty or worth of something

3. a blemish or stain on one's character or reputation

verb

1. (of ink, dye, etc) to form spots or blobs on (a material) or (of a person) to cause such spots or blobs to form on (a material)

2. informal,  to spoil one's reputation by making a mistake, offending against social customs, etc

3. (intr) to stain or become stained or spotted

4. (tr) to cause a blemish in or on; disgrace

5. to soak up (excess ink, etc) by using blotting paper or some other absorbent material

6. (of blotting paper or some other absorbent material) to absorb (excess ink, etc)

7. 1. to darken or hide completely; obscure; obliterate

   2. to destroy; annihilate

blot

²

/ blɒt /

noun

1. backgammon a man exposed by being placed alone on a point and therefore able to be taken by the other player

2. archaic,  a weak spot

Other Word Forms

• blotless adjective
• blottingly adverb
• blotty adjective
• unblotted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of blot¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun blot(te); orign uncertain; perhaps akin to Old Norse blettr “blot, spot, stain”; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of blot²

First recorded in 1590–1600; origin uncertain; perhaps from Low German blat, akin to bloot “bare, exposed, unprotected”; possibly cognate with Dutch bloot, German bloss bare

Word History and Origins

Origin of blot¹

C14: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch bluyster _blister

Origin of blot²

C16: perhaps from Middle Dutch bloot poor

Example Sentences

A secret sister, whose name and existence had been blotted out.

Read more on Literature

In the past, some funds administered Rorschach tests, asking prospective recruits to assess ink blots, aiming to measure their ability to manage complexity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The blot may not be huge but it remains on Root's copybook.

Read more on BBC

Failure would be an indelible blot on his record and vastly complicate life for his successors.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He's previously said that his earliest memory was "a massive ship at the end of my street, towering over the houses and blotting out the sun".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• blemish 
• blotch 
• smudge 
• speck