spotter

Everyday

1. A spotter is a person who watches out for something, especially as a hobby: a train spotter, a bird spotter, a plane spotter. tree →
2. (sport) In gym and weightlifting, a spotter stands by to catch you or help if you lose control. tree →
3. A spotter is someone who watches for danger or for an enemy and reports it, like a fire spotter or an aircraft spotter in wartime. tree →

In the lessons

In PE, gymnastics and trampolining, spotters keep others safe; that is a safety rule. Train spotters in the UK note down train numbers as a hobby. In history lessons, wartime spotters watched the sky for enemy planes. In storm chasing, weather spotters report tornadoes and storms.

Examples

• Grandpa has been a train spotter since he was a boy. tree →
• A spotter stood beside the trampoline. tree →
• Never lift heavy weights without a spotter. tree →
• Bird spotters waited quietly in the hide. tree →
• In the war, spotters on rooftops watched for enemy planes. tree →
• Weather spotters reported the tornado. tree →
• The talent spotter asked the girl to join the football academy. tree →

Note

Countable: spotters. "Trainspotter" is sometimes used in the UK as a mild joke for someone who loves collecting small facts. Related verb: spot (to notice).