a lot

[uh lot]

noun

1. lot.

adverb

1. lot.

Spelling Note

As a noun and adverb, a lot is frequently misspelled as alot.

Word History and Origins

Origin of a lot¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Idioms and Phrases

Very many, a large number; also, very much. For example, A lot of people think the economy is declining, or Sad movies always made her cry a lot. It is sometimes put as a whole lot for greater emphasis, as in I learned a whole lot in his class. It may also emphasize a comparative indication of amount, as in We need a whole lot more pizza to feed everyone, or Mary had a lot less nerve than I expected. [Colloquial; early 1800s]

Example Sentences

But then we can talk about a lot of stuff that can be improved on safety, including pit entries in certain places.

From BBC

“He can shoot the three ball. He’ll take it in and drive past someone from the three-point line. Go lay it up. I mean, he can do a lot of things.”

From Los Angeles Times

"Spurs have spent a bit of money and now have a lot of strength in depth with plenty of attacking options, but I think Kudus has been the best of their new signings," said Rooney.

From BBC

The Chargers didn’t do a lot to upgrade the interior of their line, a liability in January’s playoff loss at Houston, but signing Becton was a step in the right direction.

From Los Angeles Times

“I think it helps a lot for people who are victims of fire to see progress,” Abraham told me, saying he’s managed the bureaucratic hurdles and made sure his material suppliers are lined up.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• entirely 
• substantially 
• totally 
• wholly