blotter

blotter — noun

1. a thick desk sheet that soaks up fresh ink and helps keep the writing surface cl

1.nounC2
Definition

a thick desk sheet that soaks up fresh ink and helps keep the writing surface clean.

Example

Ms. Ito laid a blotter under the letter before signing in ink.

lay a blotter under + paper

A dark blue blotter protected the desk during Ravi's handwriting lesson.

Common collocations
  • desk blotter
  • leather blotter
  • lay a blotter under paper
  • press a blotter onto wet ink
Synonyms
  • blotting paper

    names the absorbent paper itself, not always a desk-sized pad

  • desk pad

    broader term for a desk cover; it may not absorb ink

Grammar Patterns

lay a blotter under + paper

use a blotter to dry ink

leather blotter / desk blotter

Usage Note

Most common in older writing or office contexts, especially with fountain pens and handwritten letters. Modern speakers may use desk pad for a broader mat that protects a desk but does not need to absorb ink.

Common Mistakes

I wrote my homework in a blotter.
I wrote my homework in a notebook.
A blotter is a sheet or pad for wet ink, not a book for notes.

2. the day-by-day log kept by police, where officers write down arrests and other i

2.nounC2
Definition

the day-by-day log kept by police, where officers write down arrests and other incidents.

Example

By noon, the desk sergeant had entered three fights in the blotter.

enter + incident in the blotter

Reporters checked the blotter for details about the bank robbery.

check the blotter

Common collocations
  • police blotter
  • station blotter
  • blotter entry
  • enter a case in the blotter
Synonyms
  • police log

    a close modern equivalent in plain language

  • station record

    broader and less fixed as a set term

  • register

    more formal and used for many official lists, not only police work

Grammar Patterns

enter + incident in the blotter

read/check the blotter

blotter entry

Usage Note

Usually appears with verbs such as enter, read, check, and see. Distinguish it from criminal record: a blotter is the station's running daily log, not a complete file on one person.

Common Mistakes

His blotter stopped him from getting the job.
His criminal record stopped him from getting the job.
A blotter is a police station's daily log, not one person's full legal history.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun/1, blotter usually means a special desk sheet made to absorb wet ink while also protecting the desk. Blotting paper is the paper material itself, so it can be a small loose sheet and not a full desk item. Desk pad is wider in meaning: it may cover part of a desk for comfort or protection, even if it does not absorb anything. Desk mat is similar to desk pad and is common for modern computer desks, so it often suggests a larger work surface rather than old-fashioned writing. If Ravi dries fresh fountain-pen ink, he needs a blotter or blotting paper. If Mei wants a smooth surface under her keyboard, a desk mat is the better word.

blotting paperdesk paddesk mat

Etymology

English

Blotter was formed in English from blot plus the ending -er. It first meant something used to blot up wet ink, especially on a writing desk. Later, because short notes were written in such pads or books, the word also came to mean a daily written log, including the police sense.