spotlight: Meaning and Definition of

spot•light

Pronunciation: (spot'līt"), [key]
— n., v., -light•ed -lit, -light•ing.
—n.
  1. 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.
  2. a lamp for producing such a light.
  3. 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.
  4. the area of immediate or conspicuous public attention: Asia is in the spotlight now.
—v.t.
  1. to direct the beam of a spotlight upon; light with a spotlight.
  2. to make conspicuous; call attention to: Newspapers spotlighted the story for a week.
  3. to hunt (animals) using a spotlight in order to temporarily blind or confuse them.
—v.i.
  1. to hunt by using a spotlight.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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