black spot
Pirate's death sentence
Black spot names several conditions marked by dark patches or lesions.
In plants, it's a fungal disease that produces circular dark spots on leaves, especially roses: The rose bushes had black spot.
In fish, it's a parasitic infection causing dark cysts.
On roads, a black spot is a location where accidents frequently occur.
In *Treasure Island*, receiving the black spot is a pirate's death sentence—a meaning that persists in figurative use for any ominous mark or warning.
Plant disease causing decay
- fungusSpore-bearing organism
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- rotOrganic breakdown process
- sporesAsexual reproductive bodies
canker · necrosis · mildew · scab · phytophthora · chlorosis · dieback · lesion
Adventure tale with pirates
- StevensonScottish family name
- death sentenceJudicial order of execution
- summonsFormal court notification
- pirateMaritime thief or bootlegger
buccaneer · fate · doom · paper · verdict · captain · crew · mutiny
Source of potential harm
- perilSerious threat of harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- threatIndication of potential harm
- menaceSource of potential harm
jeopardy · pitfall · treacherous · precarious · volatile · hotspot · flashpoint · minefield
blight
Plant disease causing decay
spores · canker · necrosis · mildew · scab · phytophthora · chlorosis · dieback · lesion · pathogen
Treasure Island
Adventure tale with pirates
- StevensonScottish family name
- death sentenceJudicial order of execution
- summonsFormal court notification
pirate · buccaneer · fate · doom · paper · verdict · captain · crew · mutiny · Long John Silver
hazard
Source of potential harm
menace · jeopardy · pitfall · treacherous · precarious · volatile · hotspot · flashpoint · minefield · ambush
- Piratespirate, buccaneer, corsair, corsairs, privateers
- food spoilagerot, mold growth, spoilage, rancidity, staleness
- pirate talkahoy, arr, argh, aye, aye aye
- crop problemsblight, drought damage, crop disease, root rot, wilting
- fruit flawsbruise, bruising, rot, brown rot, soft spots
- fungal diseasescandidiasis, histoplasmosis, blight, powdery mildew, downy mildew
black spotspotless
Completely free of marks
immaculate · flawless · unblemished · clear skin · unmarked
black spotclean record
Absence of prior offenses
spotless record · clean slate · badge of honor · gold star · bright spot
black, spot, blacken, Black Friday, blackout, blackmail, blackness, blacks, blackish