put on the spot

put on the spot
   to kill
   From the slang meaning, to accuse or embarrass:
    Youthful killers on the East Side can he hired to 'knock off' or 'put a guy on the spot'. (Lavine, 1930)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • put on the spot — ► put on the spot informal force (someone) into a situation in which they must respond or act. Main Entry: ↑spot …   English terms dictionary

  • put on the spot —    If you put someone on the spot, you put them in a difficult position, for example by asking difficult questions which they cannot avoid.     The reporter was put on the spot when he was asked to reveal his source …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • put on the spot — put (someone) on the spot to cause someone difficulty or embarrassment. She asked if I would vote for her, which really put me on the spot because I had decided not to …   New idioms dictionary

  • put on the spot — place in a difficult situation, try to assassinate …   English contemporary dictionary

  • put on the spot (to) —  Challenge or pressure someone openly …   American business jargon

  • put on the spot —  Place in a position of difficulty, embarrassment, etc …   A concise dictionary of English slang

  • put someone on the spot —    If you put someone on the spot, you put them in a difficult position, for example by asking difficult questions which they cannot avoid.     The reporter was put on the spot when he was asked to reveal his source …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • put someone on the spot — phrase to ask someone a question that is difficult or embarrassing to answer I’m going to put you on the spot and ask what you would have done in his position. Thesaurus: to ask a question or questionssynonym to make someone feel ashamed or… …   Useful english dictionary

  • put somebody on the spot — put sb on the ˈspot idiom to make sb feel awkward or embarrassed by asking them a difficult question • The interviewer s questions really put him on the spot. Main entry: ↑spotidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • put someone on the spot — put (someone) on the spot to cause someone difficulty or embarrassment. She asked if I would vote for her, which really put me on the spot because I had decided not to …   New idioms dictionary

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