spotlightingn.
/ˈspɒtlʌɪtɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈspɑtˌlaɪdɪŋ/ Originally U.S.
1.
a. Illumination by a spotlight or spotlights.
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the world > matter > light > artificial light > an artificial light > artificial light defined by light-source > electric light > [noun] > spotlight > illumination by
spotlighting1909
1909 Trans. Illuminating Engin. Soc. Dec. 934 Do we want spot lighting, or do we wish to produce an illumination of the streets comparable with daylight illumination, or with interior illumination?
1922 Abel's Photogr. Weekly 9 Sept. 299 (advt.) It gives a sharp or diffused spot, and is supplied with ground glass cap for screening down where very soft spotlighting is desired.
1952 New Yorker 4 Oct. 119/1 With insufficient spotlighting, the spectacle was like a succession of obscure museum paintings in need of cleaning.
1997 M. Acton Learning to look at Paintings (2000) iv. 84 But light and shade are used to increase the dramatic effect, rather like spotlighting in the theatre.
2002 Independent 8 Oct. (Review section) 4/3 He fitted out his first Pizza Express restaurant in Soho..with the revolutionary Mediterranean accoutrements of terracotta tiles and spotlighting.
b. The action of drawing attention to a person or thing.
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1913 Bryan (Texas) Weekly Eagle 2 Jan. 4/4 Unless his fellow townsmen, especially the business men, are also imbued with the faculty of spotlighting, he [sc. a newspaper editor] is surely handicapped.
1923 B. Hecht Florentine Dagger v. 77 The romance between De Medici and Ballau's daughter had received its share of spotlighting during the week that followed the tragedy.
1945 N.Y. Times 20 Sept. (Sports section) 28 More than 100 dogs..played their part in New York's spotlighting of National Dog Week.
1973 Eng. Educ. 4 161 Another special feature is the spotlighting of the teacher-training programs at the Universities of Houston, Toledo, Colorado, Temple, and Connecticut.
2004 K. R. Wallace Working with Multiracial Students iii. 58 Such spotlighting of a single student because of their ethnic heritage is unfair.
2. The practice of hunting game, esp. deer, at night by using a spotlight to illuminate or dazzle the hunted animal. Cf. lamping n. Additions 2.Legal restrictions or prohibitions apply to the use of spotlights for night hunting in many jurisdictions.
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the world > food and drink > hunting > [noun] > hunting with lights
fire-lighting1848
jack-hunting1857
fire shooting1860
fire hunting1885
jacklighting1895
pit-lamping1924
spotlighting1926
pitlighting1969
lamping1984
1926 Ukiah (Calif.) Disp. Democrat 24 Sept. 1 The doe was killed by spotlighting.
1948 N. Devon Jrnl.-Herald 4/3 Barnstaple National Farmers' Union..decided to press for legislation to stop spot-lighting for rabbits during the lambing season.
1961 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 27 Jan. 3 (headline) Deer ‘spotlighting’ convictions hit 14.
1972 L. Hancock There's Seal in my Sleeping Bag i. 13 He was surprised to learn in Australia that pit-lamping or spotlighting not only is legal but the accepted way of hunting.
1997 A. M. Jones Quiet Place of Violence i. vii. 49 What's a little spotlighting? Jesus didn't say anything about spotlighting. In fact, he didn't mention deer or coyotes at all.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1909