spotter
/ˈspɒtə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [spˈɑtɚ] /ˈspɑːtər/ (ame, ipa) · [spˈɑtɚ] /ˈspä-tər/ (ame, mw)
spotter — noun
- spottersingular
- spottersplural
1. A person with a talent for seeing or finding particular items or individuals, wh
A person with a talent for seeing or finding particular items or individuals, whether as a pastime or as paid work.
Tendai is a keen bird spotter and keeps a list of every species he sees.
compound noun: bird spotter / train spotter / talent spotter
The record label's talent spotter discovered Ayesha singing in a small café.
Reuben works as a train spotter, noting down every locomotive that passes the station.
A good fossil spotter can find tiny bones that most people would walk right past.
Adina is a cloud spotter who spends hours photographing different sky formations.
文法句型
[thing] spotter / talent spotter
常見錯誤
2. Someone who keeps an eye on a particular area to detect a person, object, or eve
Someone who keeps an eye on a particular area to detect a person, object, or event, often so they can warn others if anything unusual happens.
A security spotter watched the bank entrance from a van parked across the street.
compound noun: security spotter / police spotter
During the royal visit, police spotters stood on every rooftop along the route.
The factory hired a spotter to watch for smoke near the chemical storage area.
Niran works as a crowd spotter at festivals, looking for people who need help.
Safari wildlife spotters radioed the driver when they saw elephants near the road.
文法句型
security spotter / police spotter / crowd spotter
用法筆記
Subject is often an official or professional role: police spotter, security spotter, fire spotter.
常見錯誤
3. A worker at a construction project who helps people drive trucks and operate lar
A worker at a construction project who helps people drive trucks and operate large machines safely, preventing crashes with workers, equipment, or other obstacles.
The truck driver waited for the spotter's signal before reversing toward the loading bay.
role: guides vehicles using hand signals
Mizuki works as a spotter on a high-rise site, guiding crane operators with hand signals.
Without a spotter, reversing a concrete mixer on a busy site can be very dangerous.
The construction spotter stopped the digger just in time before it hit an underground pipe.
- banksman
British term for the same role on construction sites, less common globally
- signal person
formal title used in safety regulations for the person directing vehicle movements
文法句型
work as a spotter / spotter + for [vehicle]
用法筆記
Frequently used in safety regulations and construction training. The spotter is a designated safety role, not a supervisor.
4. A person who tracks and reports weather conditions and changes, especially sever
A person who tracks and reports weather conditions and changes, especially severe events such as storms, tornadoes, or heavy snowfall, often as a trained volunteer or paid worker.
The National Weather Service relies on volunteer storm spotters to report hail and tornadoes.
compound noun: storm spotter / weather spotter
Léa became a weather spotter after a tornado passed close to her hometown.
Storm spotters track severe weather and send updates to local emergency offices.
Every spring the county holds a training class for new weather spotters.
- storm chaser
a storm chaser actively drives towards storms for research or video footage, while a spotter typically reports from a fixed location
文法句型
storm spotter / weather spotter
用法筆記
Often used in compounds such as 'storm spotter' or 'weather spotter'. These are typically trained volunteers who work with official weather agencies.
5. A person who stands close to someone performing heavy lifts or gymnastic moves,
A person who stands close to someone performing heavy lifts or gymnastic moves, ready to catch them or support the weight if they lose strength or balance so they do not get hurt.
James asked a friend to spot him during a heavy bench press.
common pattern: act as a spotter + for [exercise]
In the gymnastics class, a spotter stood behind Brooke as she practised her backflip.
William felt safer doing the squat exercise with a spotter standing behind him.
A good spotter knows when to help and when to let the lifter finish alone.
Valentina always uses a spotter when she trains with weights above her own body weight.
- training partner
a training partner exercises with you and helps with many things, while a spotter's only job is safety
文法句型
use a spotter / act as a spotter / spotter for [exercise]
用法筆記
Most common in gym and fitness settings. The spotter's role is active — they touch the weight or the lifter's body only when necessary, rather than simply watching.