dot
dot — 縮寫
1. an abbreviation for the United States Department of Transportation, the governme
交通部
美國交通運輸部縮寫
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.
DOT 發布了一項關於所有校車安全帶要求的新規定。
abbreviation used as a proper noun for a government agency
According to the DOT, road construction along Highway 101 will begin next month.
根據 DOT 的資料，101 號公路沿線的道路施工將於下個月開始。
Eve checked the DOT website for updates on flight safety regulations.
Eve 到 DOT 的網站查看飛航安全法規的最新資訊。
A DOT study found that seat belts reduce the risk of injury in car crashes.
DOT 的一項研究發現，安全帶能降低車禍受傷的風險。
用法筆記
Always capitalised and usually used without 'the' when written in full caps, but commonly preceded by 'the' in speech.
常見錯誤
dot — 名詞
1. a tiny circular spot of ink, paint, or other material that sits on a surface, of
圓點；小點
極小的圓形標記
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.
Amira 在地圖上畫了一個小圓點，標示她家的位置。
marking a location with a dot
The letter 'i' must have a dot above it, or the word looks incomplete.
字母 i 上方需要有一個點，否則單字看起來不完整。
From the top of the mountain, the village below looked like a tiny dot.
從山頂往下看，山下的村莊就像一個小小的點。
The artist used thousands of coloured dots to create a picture of the ocean.
藝術家用上千個彩色圓點創作出一幅海洋圖畫。
Elena noticed a tiny black dot on her white shirt after lunch.
Elena 吃完午餐後，注意到白襯衫上有一個小小的黑點。
用法筆記
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,
點；句點
網址或檔案名稱中的分隔符號
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.
給電子郵件地址時，句點要說 dot 而不是 point。
saying 'dot' for periods in email addresses
The file name needs a dot before the extension, like 'budget dot pdf'.
檔案名稱在副檔名之前需要一個點，像是 budget 點 pdf。
In maths class, the teacher wrote a dot between two numbers to mean times.
數學課時，老師在兩個數字之間寫了一個點，代表乘以。
Tara typed the website address carefully, remembering to put a dot after 'www'.
Tara 仔細輸入網址，記得在 www 後面加上點。
用法筆記
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 (×).
常見錯誤
3. a short sound or brief flash of light that is used together with longer dashes t
短訊號
摩斯密碼中的短音或短光
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.
老無線電報務員透過電波發送一連串的點和劃。
dot and dash in Morse code transmission
In Morse code, the letter S is three short dots with no pauses in between.
在摩斯密碼中，字母 S 是三個短點，中間沒有停頓。
Stefan learned to send dots and dashes using a flashlight during his scout training.
Stefan 在童軍訓練期間學會用手電筒發送點和劃訊號。
The prisoner tapped a pattern of dots on the wall to signal to the next room.
囚犯在牆上敲出點狀節奏，向隔壁房間傳遞訊號。
- 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
用法筆記
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
附點
增加音符時值的音樂符號
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.
當二分音符後面有一個附點時，該音符應持續三拍而非兩拍。
lengthening note value with a dot
The music teacher told Salma to look for the dot above the note and play it short.
音樂老師要 Salma 注意音符上方的點，並以短促的方式演奏。
Ari struggled to count the rhythm because of all the dotted notes in the piece.
Ari 因為樂曲中有太多附點音符，數拍子時感到很吃力。
The dot after the minim adds half its length, so the note lasts for three counts total.
二分音符後面的附點增加了原時值的一半，因此該音符總共持續三拍。
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
5. an exact point in time that is not early and not late, used almost always in the
準確時刻
on the dot 即準確時刻
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.
火車在九點整準時到達，一秒也沒有延誤。
idiom 'on the dot' for exact time
Our meeting starts at two on the dot, so please arrive a few minutes early.
我們的會議兩點整準時開始，請提早幾分鐘到。
Elena promised to call at noon, and the phone rang right on the dot.
Elena 答應中午打電話來，電話就在正午時分準時響起。
The exam finished at half past three on the dot, and everyone put down their pens.
考試在下午三點半準時結束，每個人都放下了筆。
用法筆記
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'.
常見錯誤
dot — 動詞
1. to write a tiny circular spot onto a letter, word, or printed character, especia
加點；打點
在字母或符號上加上小圓點
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.
老師提醒全班要仔細在 i 上面加點，在 t 上面加橫。
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.
Eitan 的老師教他如何在書寫練習中為每個小寫 i 加上一點。
dotting a specific letter during handwriting practice
The proofreader dotted every missing period and circled each spelling mistake in red.
校對者用紅筆在每個遺漏的句點上打點，並圈出每個拼字錯誤。
Make sure you dot the lowercase letter j too, or it might look like a different letter.
別忘了在字母 j 上面加點，否則它看起來可能像另一個字母。
文法句型
dot + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used in the fixed expression 'dot your i's and cross your t's', which means to be very careful about small details.
常見錯誤
2. in musical notation, to add a dot after a note or rest that lengthens its durati
加附點
在音符旁加點以延長時值
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.
作曲家在四分音符後面加了一個附點，使它持續三拍而非兩拍。
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.
在四四拍中，如果在二分音符後面加上附點，該音符應持續三拍。
The arranger dotted the rest at the end of the bar to fill out the remaining silence.
編曲者在小節末的休止符上加附點，以填滿剩餘的休止時間。
The choir director showed the singers how to dot the quarter note in the final bar.
合唱團指揮向團員示範如何在最後一小節的四分音符上加附點。
文法句型
dot + noun phrase
用法筆記
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
散布；點綴
將相似事物分散於各處
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.
鄉間點綴著小型農場和石頭建造的村舍。
passive: be dotted with [objects]
Tiny white flowers dotted the grassy field after the heavy spring rain.
春天的豪雨過後，草地上散布著小小的白色花朵。
Modern apartment blocks dot the skyline of the fast-growing city.
現代公寓大樓點綴著快速發展城市的天際線。
The night sky was dotted with bright stars that guided the travellers home.
夜空中點綴著明亮的星星，為旅人指引返家的路。
文法句型
be dotted with [something]
dot + noun phrase + across/over [area]
用法筆記
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.
常見錯誤
4. to drop or arrange tiny portions of something across a surface at different poin
點放；撒
在表面各處放置少量物質
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.
Jenna 在烘烤前將一小匙一小匙的奶油點放在蛋糕表面。
dotting butter on a cake in cooking
The chef dotted the pizza with tiny pieces of fresh mozzarella and basil leaves.
主廚在披薩上點放小塊的新鮮莫扎瑞拉起司和羅勒葉。
Min dotted the canvas with flecks of blue and green paint using a small brush.
Min 用小畫筆在畫布上點放藍色和綠色的顏料斑點。
Isabela dotted pieces of chocolate across the surface of the freshly baked cookies.
Isabela 將巧克力碎片點放在剛出爐的餅乾表面。
文法句型
dot + noun phrase + across/over/around [surface]
用法筆記
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.