spotlight
[spot-lahyt]
- 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.
- a lamp for producing such a light.
- 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.
- the area of immediate or conspicuous public attention: Asia is in the spotlight now.
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- to direct the beam of a spotlight upon; light with a spotlight.
- to make conspicuous; call attention to: Newspapers spotlighted the story for a week.
- to hunt (animals) using a spotlight in order to temporarily blind or confuse them.
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- to hunt by using a spotlight.
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Origin of spotlight
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for spotlight
Contemporary Examples
Fumes filled the arena, engines revved, and the beastly vehicles made their way out on to the spotlight.
She had all the pressure of people in the spotlight and was unbelievably rigorous about keeping it real.
In this age of selfies, the president had chosen someone who never seeks the spotlight and lets her work speak for itself.
Dredging up the Wichita Massacre puts the two justices who were part of the 6-to-1 majority ruling in the spotlight.
Because they knew even as they succeeded in hogging the spotlight people were snickering at them.
Historical Examples
They had a spotlight on one of the cars which they kept moving in wide circles.
A Yankee Flier Over BerlinAl Avery
She was standing in a spotlight, Forrester thought at first.
Pagan PassionsGordon Randall Garrett
The Swami made a determined effort to recapture the spotlight.
Sense from Thought DivideMark Irvin Clifton
To go down at this point was simply to spotlight his presence for any Throg on his trail.
Storm Over WarlockAndre Norton
At least, it would put Frank Corson, unknown intern, into the spotlight for a while.
Ten From InfinityPaul W. Fairman
spotlight
- a powerful light focused so as to illuminate a small area, usually mounted so that it can be directed at will
- the spotlight the focus of attention
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- to direct a spotlight on
- to focus attention on
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for spotlight
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with spotlight
spotlight
see in the limelight (spotlight); steal the show (spotlight).
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.