- The definition of a blot is a spot or stain, whether physical or on a person's character.
An example of a blot is an ink stain on a shirt.
- Blot means to dry, soak up or remove.
An example of to blot is to wipe up tipped over milk with a paper towel.
- a spot or stain, esp. of ink
- anything that spoils or mars, esp. by providing an unpleasant contrast: that shack is a blot on the landscape
- a moral stain; disgrace
Origin of blotMiddle English ; from uncertain or unknown; perhaps
- to make blots on; spot, stain, or blur
- to stain (a reputation); disgrace
- to erase or get rid of: memories blotted from one's mind
- to dry by soaking up the wet liquid, as with blotting paper
- to make blots
- to become blotted
- to be absorbent
- to darken or hide entirely; obscure
- to kill or destroy
- Backgammon an exposed piece, liable to capture
- Archaic a weak point; fault; failing
Origin of blotprobably ; from Middle Dutch bloot or Danish blot, naked, uncovered
- A spot or a stain caused by a discoloring substance: a blot of paint.
- An association of disgrace with one's character or reputation. See Synonyms at stain.
- The Northern, Southern, or Western blot analyses.
verbblot·ted, blot·ting, blots
- To soak up or dry with absorbent material. Often used with up: blotted the spill with a napkin; used a rag to blot up the paint.
- a. To make obscure or invisible; hide. Often used with out: clouds blotting out the moon.b. To render invisible or unreadable by marking; obliterate. Often used with out: blotted out the names with a pen.c. To remove or block from personal memory or public remembrance. Often used with out: “His death in the hour of victory blotted out his failings and left a heroic memory” (N.A.M. Rodger).
- To spot or stain, as with a discoloring substance: Grass stains blotted the knees of his pants.
- To bring moral disgrace to: an incident that blotted the senator's reputation.
- To spill or spread in a spot or stain.
- To become blotted, soaked up, or absorbed.
Origin of blotMiddle English.
- Games An exposed piece in backgammon.
- Archaic A weak point.
Origin of blotPossibly from Low German blat, naked, unprotected.
(third-person singular simple present blots, present participle blotting, simple past and past participle blotted)
- to cause a blot (on something) by spilling a coloured substance.
- (intransitive) to soak up or absorb liquid.
- This paper blots easily.
- To dry (writing, etc.) with blotting paper.
- To spot, stain, or bespatter, as with ink.
- To impair; to damage; to mar; to soil.
- To stain with infamy; to disgrace.
- To obliterate, as writing with ink; to cancel; to efface; generally with out.
- to blot out a word or a sentence
- To obscure; to eclipse; to shadow.
Originally "blemish," perhaps from Old Norse blettr, or from Old French bloche (“clod of earth”)