dot
dot — abbreviation
1. an abbreviation for the United States Department of Transportation, the governme
an abbreviation for the United States Department of Transportation, the government department that looks after the country's roads, railways, air travel, and other transport systems
The DOT issued a new rule about seatbelt requirements for all school buses.
abbreviation used as a proper noun for a government agency
According to the DOT, road construction along Highway 101 will begin next month.
Eve checked the DOT website for updates on flight safety regulations.
A DOT study found that seat belts reduce the risk of injury in car crashes.
- DOT regulations
- DOT report
- DOT official
Usage Note
Always capitalised and usually used without 'the' when written in full caps, but commonly preceded by 'the' in speech.
Common Mistakes
dot — noun
1. a tiny circular spot of ink, paint, or other material that sits on a surface, of
a tiny circular spot of ink, paint, or other material that sits on a surface, often made deliberately with a pointed tool
Amira drew a small dot on the map to mark where her house was.
marking a location with a dot
The letter 'i' must have a dot above it, or the word looks incomplete.
From the top of the mountain, the village below looked like a tiny dot.
dot as a distance comparison
The artist used thousands of coloured dots to create a picture of the ocean.
dots in pointillism art
Elena noticed a tiny black dot on her white shirt after lunch.
- tiny dot
- small dot
- black dot
- coloured dot
- draw a dot
- put a dot
Usage Note
A dot is usually smaller and neater than a spot or a stain. It is often deliberately made rather than accidental.
2. the written symbol (.) that divides the different sections of an email address,
the written symbol (.) that divides the different sections of an email address, website URL, or computer file name; it also serves as a decimal point or multiplication sign in mathematics
When giving your email, say 'dot' instead of 'point' for the period.
saying 'dot' for periods in email addresses
The file name needs a dot before the extension, like 'budget dot pdf'.
In maths class, the teacher wrote a dot between two numbers to mean times.
dot as a multiplication symbol
Tara typed the website address carefully, remembering to put a dot after 'www'.
- dot com
- dot org
- say dot
- put a dot
Usage Note
When saying a website or email address aloud, English speakers say 'dot' for the period. In mathematical writing, a centred dot (·) sometimes replaces the multiplication sign (×).
Common Mistakes
3. a short sound or brief flash of light that is used together with longer dashes t
a short sound or brief flash of light that is used together with longer dashes to form letters and numbers in Morse code
The old radio operator sent a series of dots and dashes across the airwaves.
dot and dash in Morse code transmission
In Morse code, the letter S is three short dots with no pauses in between.
Stefan learned to send dots and dashes using a flashlight during his scout training.
dots as flashes of light
The prisoner tapped a pattern of dots on the wall to signal to the next room.
dots communicated by tapping
- dot and dash
- Morse dot
- short dot
- dit
the spoken name for the dot sound in Morse code, used when reciting code aloud
- dash
the longer signal in Morse code, about three times the length of a dot
Usage Note
A dot is the shorter of the two signals in Morse code. A dash is about three times longer. The timing between dots and dashes within a letter is very short.
4. in written music, a dot placed after a pitch or silence symbol that lengthens it
in written music, a dot placed after a pitch or silence symbol that lengthens it by half its value, or a dot positioned above or below a pitch symbol that tells the player to play it in short, separated bursts
When a dot follows a half note, the note should be held for three beats instead of two.
lengthening note value with a dot
The music teacher told Salma to look for the dot above the note and play it short.
Ari struggled to count the rhythm because of all the dotted notes in the piece.
The dot after the minim adds half its length, so the note lasts for three counts total.
duration calculation with a dot
- dotted note
- dotted rhythm
- staccato dot
- augmentation dot
Usage Note
A dot after a note (augmentation dot) adds half the note's value. A dot above or below a note (staccato dot) shortens the playing time. These two uses are different and should not be confused.
Common Mistakes
5. an exact point in time that is not early and not late, used almost always in the
an exact point in time that is not early and not late, used almost always in the phrase 'on the dot' to mean precisely at the stated time
The train arrived at nine o'clock on the dot, not even a minute late.
idiom 'on the dot' for exact time
Our meeting starts at two on the dot, so please arrive a few minutes early.
Elena promised to call at noon, and the phone rang right on the dot.
The exam finished at half past three on the dot, and everyone put down their pens.
- on the dot
- right on the dot
Usage Note
This sense only occurs in the fixed phrase 'on the dot'. It cannot be used freely in other grammatical patterns. You cannot say 'the dot of the meeting' or 'at this dot'.
Common Mistakes
on the dot
idiomat exactly the stated time; not early and not late
The delivery driver arrived at eight on the dot, just as the shop opened.
Jessica promised to finish the report by five, and she handed it in on the dot.
the year dot
idiomA very long time in the past, often used to emphasize that something has been happening for many years.
My grandmother has lived in this village since the year dot.
Have you been collecting stamps since the year dot?
dot — verb
1. to write a tiny circular spot onto a letter, word, or printed character, especia
to write a tiny circular spot onto a letter, word, or printed character, especially during handwriting or proofreading
The teacher reminded the class to dot their i's and cross their t's carefully.
common expression: dot your i's and cross your t's
Eitan's teacher showed him how to dot each lowercase 'i' in his handwriting exercise.
dotting a specific letter during handwriting practice
The proofreader dotted every missing period and circled each spelling mistake in red.
Make sure you dot the lowercase letter j too, or it might look like a different letter.
dotting the letter j
- dot an i
- dot a letter
- dot the i's
- carefully dotted
Grammar Patterns
dot + noun phrase
Usage Note
Often used in the fixed expression 'dot your i's and cross your t's', which means to be very careful about small details.
Common Mistakes
2. in musical notation, to add a dot after a note or rest that lengthens its durati
in musical notation, to add a dot after a note or rest that lengthens its duration by one half of its written value
The composer dotted the crotchet so that it lasted for three beats instead of two.
dotting a note to increase its duration
When you dot a minim in four-four time, the note should be held for three full counts.
The arranger dotted the rest at the end of the bar to fill out the remaining silence.
The choir director showed the singers how to dot the quarter note in the final bar.
- dotted note
- dotted rest
- dotted minim
- dotted crotchet
- dotted quarter note
Grammar Patterns
dot + noun phrase
Usage Note
This is a technical musical sense. Do not confuse it with a staccato mark, which is a dot placed above or below a note, not after it.
3. to place many similar items at different spots over a surface or region, so that
to place many similar items at different spots over a surface or region, so that they appear spread out yet visible across the whole space
The countryside was dotted with small farms and stone cottages.
passive: be dotted with [objects]
Tiny white flowers dotted the grassy field after the heavy spring rain.
Modern apartment blocks dot the skyline of the fast-growing city.
active use: subject + dot + area
The night sky was dotted with bright stars that guided the travellers home.
- dotted with
- dotted across
- dotted over
- dotted around
Grammar Patterns
be dotted with [something]
dot + noun phrase + across/over [area]
Usage Note
Frequently used in the passive form 'be dotted with', where the subject is a landscape or surface and the object is the items scattered across it. The active form ('flowers dotted the field') is also common in literary descriptions.
Common Mistakes
4. to drop or arrange tiny portions of something across a surface at different poin
to drop or arrange tiny portions of something across a surface at different points, often done when cooking or decorating
Jenna dotted small spoonfuls of butter across the top of the cake before baking.
dotting butter on a cake in cooking
The chef dotted the pizza with tiny pieces of fresh mozzarella and basil leaves.
Min dotted the canvas with flecks of blue and green paint using a small brush.
Isabela dotted pieces of chocolate across the surface of the freshly baked cookies.
dotting chocolate on cookies
- dot with butter
- dot across the surface
- dot over the top
Grammar Patterns
dot + noun phrase + across/over/around [surface]
Usage Note
This sense is common in recipe instructions. It describes placing small amounts by hand or with a spoon, not spraying or pouring. The substance is typically butter, cheese, sauce, or a decorating material.
to pay very close attention to every small detail of something, especially when finishing a piece of work to make sure everything is correct
The editor spent the whole afternoon dotting the i's and crossing the t's on the manuscript.
Before we submit the proposal, we need to dot the i's and cross the t's on the budget section.
Word family
- dottedadjectiveB1
- dottingnounB2
- dottyadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
A dot is typically a small, round mark that is deliberately made, such as one drawn with a pen or printed on a page. A spot is often slightly larger and may be accidental or natural — like a spot of mud on a shoe or a spot on someone's skin. A speck is smaller than a dot and usually refers to a tiny piece of dust or material floating or resting on a surface. A point describes a precise location rather than a visible circular shape — you can be at a point on a map without there being a physical mark. A mark is the broadest term, covering any visible impression, stain, or symbol on a surface. For example, you might put a dot next to a name on a list, notice a spot of ink on your desk, brush a speck of dust off your sleeve, meet at a point on the trail, or wipe a dirty mark off the wall.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'dot' comes from Old English 'dott', meaning a small spot or speck on a surface. It is related to Middle Dutch 'dot', meaning a small knot or lump, and Old Norse 'dottr', meaning a lump or small ball. The modern sense of a printed or written mark developed in the 1500s. The use in Morse code dates from the early 1800s, while the musical notation sense appeared around the same period.