dot

dot

dot¹ [dät]

n.

[OE dott, head of boil: prob. reinforced (16th c.) by Du dot, akin to Ger dütte, nipple, Du dodde, a plug, Norw, LowG dott, little heap or swelling]

1. a tiny spot, speck, or mark, esp. one made with or as with a pointed object; as

2.

a) a point used in orthography or punctuation; specif., the mark placed above an i or j in writing or printing

b) Math. a decimal point; also, a point used as a symbol of multiplication

c) Music a point after a note or rest, increasing its time value by one half; also, a point put above or below a note to show that it is staccato

3. any small, round spot [polka dot]

4. Telegraphy a short sound or click, as in Morse code: cf. DASH¹

vt.

dotted, dotting

1. to mark with or as with a dot

2. to make or form with dots [a dotted line]

3. to cover with or as with dots; appear as dotlike parts in [gas stations dotted the landscape]

vi.

to make a dot or dots

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dot one's i's and cross one's t's

to be minutely correct or detailed in doing or saying something

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on the dot

Informal at the exact time or point

dotter

n.

dot² [dôt]

n.

[Fr < L dos (gen. dotis) < dare, to give: see DATE¹]

a woman's marriage dowry

dotal [dôt′'l]

adj.