dot1
Pronunciation: /dɒt/
noun
- a small round mark or spot: a symbol depicted in coloured dots
- a small round mark written or printed as part of an i or j, as one of a series of marks to signify omission, or as a full stop.
- Music a small round mark used to denote the lengthening of a note or rest by half, or to indicate staccato.
- the shorter signal of the two used in Morse code. Compare with dash (sense 3 of the noun).
- used to refer to an object that appears tiny because it is far away: they were mere dots on the horizon now
- used to indicate the punctuation separating parts of an email or website address: OUP dot com
verb ( dots, dotting, dotted)
- 1mark with a small spot or spots: wet spots of rain began to dot his shirt
- (of a number of items) be scattered over (an area): churches dot the countryside (be dotted) there appear to be a number of airfields dotted about
- place a dot over (a letter): you need to dot the i
- Music mark (a note or rest) to show that the time value is increased by half: (as adjective dotted) a dotted minim
Phrases
-
dot the i's and cross the t's
- informal ensure that all details are correct: I just have to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on my dissertation
-
on the dot
- informal exactly on time: he arrived on the dot at nine o’clock
-
the year dot
- British informal a very long time ago: that wallpaper has been there since the year dot
Origin:
Old English dott 'head of a boil'. The word is recorded only once in Old English, then not until the late 16th century, when it is found in the sense 'a small lump or clot', perhaps influenced by Dutch dot 'a knot'. The sense 'small mark or spot' dates from the mid 17th century