allot

[uh-lot]

See more synonyms for allot on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), al·lot·ted, al·lot·ting.

to divide or distribute by share or portion; distribute or parcel out; apportion: to allot the available farmland among the settlers.
to appropriate for a special purpose: to allot money for a park.
to assign as a portion; set apart; dedicate.

Origin of allot

1425–75; earlier alot, late Middle English alotten < Middle French aloter, equivalent to a- a-⁵ + lot lot (< Germanic) + -er infinitive suffix

Related formsal·lot·ta·ble, adjectiveal·lot·ter, nounmis·al·lot, verb (used with object), mis·al·lot·ted, mis·al·lot·ting.pre·al·lot, verb (used with object), pre·al·lot·ted, pre·al·lot·ting.re·al·lot, verb (used with object), re·al·lot·ted, re·al·lot·ting.un·al·lot·ted, adjectivewell-al·lot·ted, adjective

Can be confuseda lot allot

Synonym study

1. See assign.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for allotted

appoint, earmark, apportion, distribute, appropriate, allocate, assign, designate, admeasure, cut, share, slice, budget, dole, mete, divvy

Examples from the Web for allotted

Contemporary Examples of allotted

[Laughs] Firth: Oh God… And with that, the interview was abruptly ended halfway into my allotted time by the publicist.
Emma Stone and Colin Firth on Woody Allen, Shrinkage, and Live-Texting ‘Bridget Jones’
Marlow Stern
July 21, 2014
They try to scare you straight, and more money needs to be allotted to educate people about HIV/AIDS.
Taylor Kitsch on ‘The Normal Heart,’ Homophobic Right-Wingers, and Gays in the Military
Marlow Stern
May 23, 2014
How much longer they work beyond their allotted 30 days is now a matter of unpredictable chance.
If They Are Ever Found, Flight 370’s Black Boxes Should Go to the U.S.
Clive Irving
April 8, 2014
However one Maori king has refused to meet the royals saying the 45-minute window he was allotted was not sufficiently respectful.
Kate, William and George’s Tour of Australasia, Key Dates
Tom Sykes
March 20, 2014
Thirteen percent of South African land was allotted to black citizens during apartheid.
Reel Numbers: The Golden Globe Nominees Are… (Video)
The Daily Beast Video
January 12, 2014

Historical Examples of allotted

To Billy Brue was allotted the easiest as being the most probable route.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
But she had allotted their rooms well, and they approved her judgment.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
Uneasily, he had remained in the library until the allotted time was elapsed.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
It was very late, and they had over-passed the allotted time for coasting.
Rico and Wiseli
Johanna Spyri
The Viceroy, constrained to enlarge him, allotted the town for his place of confinement.
The History of Louisiana
Le Page Du Pratz

British Dictionary definitions for allotted

allot

verb -lots, -lotting or -lotted (tr)

to assign or distribute (shares, etc)
to designate for a particular purposemoney was allotted to cover expenses
(foll by to) apportionwe allotted two hours to the case

Word Origin for allot

C16: from Old French aloter, from lot portion, lot

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for allotted

allot

late 15c., from Old French aloter (Modern French allotir) "to divide by lots, to divide into lots," from à "to" (see ad-) + loter "lot," a word of Germanic origin (cf. Gothic hlauts, Old High German hloz, Old English hlot; see lot). Related: Allotted; allotting.