lot

[ lot ]

/ lɒt /

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noun

one of a set of objects, as straws or pebbles, drawn or thrown from a container to decide a question or choice by chance.

the casting or drawing of such objects as a method of deciding something: to choose a person by lot.

the decision or choice made by such a method.

allotted share or portion: to receive one's lot of an inheritance.

the portion in life assigned by fate or Providence; one's fate, fortune, or destiny: Her lot had not been a happy one.

a distinct portion or piece of land: a building lot.

a piece of land forming a part of a district, city, or other community.

South Midland and Southern U.S. a farmyard or barnyard.

a piece of land having the use specified by the attributive noun or adjective: a parking lot; a used-car lot.

Movies. a motion-picture studio and its surrounding property.

a distinct portion or parcel of anything, as of merchandise: The furniture was to be auctioned off in 20 lots.

a number of things or persons collectively: There's one more, and that's the lot.

kind of person; sort: He's a bad lot.

Often lots. a great many or a great deal: a lot of books; lots of money.

Chiefly British. a tax or duty.

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

to divide or distribute by lot (sometimes followed by out): to lot furniture for sale; to lot out apples by the basketful.

to assign to one as his or her lot; allot.

to divide into lots, as land.

Obsolete. to cast or draw lots for.

verb (used without object), lot·ted, lot·ting.

to draw lots.

adverb

Often lots. a great deal; greatly: Thanks a lot for the ride. I care lots about my family.

SYNONYMS FOR lot

4 part, quota.

7 plot, parcel.

12 group, crowd, gang.

See synonyms for lot on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!

Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!

Question 1 of 7

Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?

First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.

First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.

First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for lot

cast (in) one's lot with, to ally oneself with; share the life and fortunes of: She had cast her lot with the bohemian crowd.

draw / cast lots, to settle a question by the use of lots: They drew lots to see who would go first.

Origin of lot

before 950; 1805–15 for def. 14; Middle English; Old English hlot portion, choice, decision; cognate with Dutch lot,Old Norse hlutr; akin to Old English hlīet,German Los,Old Norse hlaut,Gothic hlauts lot

OTHER WORDS FROM lot

lotter, nounin·ter·lot, verb (used with object) in·ter·lot·ted, in·ter·lot·ting.sublot, nounun·lot·ted, adjective

Words nearby lot

lost river, Lost River Range, lost tribes, Lost Tribes of Israel, lost-wax process, lot, lota, lote, lo tech, Lotensin, Lot-et-Garonne

Definition for lot (2 of 4)

Lot¹

[ lot ]

/ lɒt /

noun

the nephew of Abraham. His wife was changed into a pillar of salt for looking back during their flight from Sodom. Genesis 13:1–12, 19.

Definition for lot (3 of 4)

Lot²

[ lawt ]

/ lɔt /

noun

a river in S France, flowing W to the Garonne. 300 miles (480 km) long.

a department in S France. 2,018 sq. mi. (5,225 sq. km). Capital: Cahors.

Definition for lot (4 of 4)

lot.

abbreviation

(in prescriptions) a lotion.

Origin of lot.

From the Latin word lōtiō

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for lot

There will undoubtedly be lots of changes, but as of press time, here’s a glimpse at some of the cinematic delights waiting for LGBTQ audiences.
COVID complicates fall film releases|Brian T. Carney|September 17, 2020|Washington Blade
So both of these companies may lose a lot of their overseas exposure.
The U.S. has nailed Chinese companies this year. Why hasn’t Beijing retaliated?|Veta Chan|September 17, 2020|Fortune
I think this year has been unprecedented in a lot of ways, and when things are very different than what they have been, people are fearful.
Mobilizing the National Guard Doesn’t Mean Your State Is Under Martial Law. Usually.|by Logan Jaffe|September 17, 2020|ProPublica
If you’ve got a lot of that going for you, then striking oil can be a blessing.
Does Anyone Really Know What Socialism Is? (Ep. 408 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 17, 2020|Freakonomics

“It helped me a lot having to run for a while,” Davies said.
A Canadian Teenager Is One Of The Fastest Soccer Players In The World|Julian McKenzie|September 16, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
I think a lot of it has to do with the attitude and the energy behind it and the honesty.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
There was a lot of positive feedback from people interested in non-gender binary people.
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If anything the work the two cops and the maintenance guy were doing deserves more respect and probably helped a lot more people.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A lot of people ring in the New Year with vows to lose weight and exercise.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models|Carrie Arnold|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And extortion makes a lot more sense before a story hits the news wire, not after.
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If the "Y" Beach lot press their advantage they may cut off the enemy troops on the toe of the Peninsula.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
In the old world, poverty seemed, and poverty was, the natural and inevitable lot of the greater portion of mankind.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Seen thus poverty became rather a blessing than a curse, or at least a dispensation prescribing the proper lot of man.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Then the enemy's howitzers and field guns had it all their own way, forcing attack to yield a lot of ground.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
I have seen a lot of Bolshevik propaganda and it is not very convincing stuff.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

British Dictionary definitions for lot (1 of 3)

lot

/ (lɒt) /

pronoun

(functioning as singular or plural preceded by a) a great number or quantitya lot to do; a lot of people; a lot of trouble

noun

a collection of objects, items, or peoplea nice lot of youngsters

portion in life; destiny; fortuneit falls to my lot to be poor

any object, such as a straw or slip of paper, drawn from others at random to make a selection or choice (esp in the phrase draw or cast lots)

the use of lots in making a selection or choice (esp in the phrase by lot)

an assigned or apportioned share

an item or set of items for sale in an auction

mainly US and Canadian an area of landa parking lot

US and Canadian a piece of land with fixed boundaries

mainly US and Canadian a film studio and the site on which it is located

a bad lot an unpleasant or disreputable person

cast in one's lot with or throw in one's lot with to join with voluntarily and share the fortunes of

the lot the entire amount or number

adverb (preceded by a) informal

to a considerable extent, degree, or amount; very muchto delay a lot

a great deal of the time or oftento sing madrigals a lot

verb lots, lotting or lotted

to draw lots for (something)

(tr) to divide (land, etc) into lots

(tr) another word for allot

Word Origin for lot

Old English hlot; related to Old High German lug portion of land, Old Norse hlutr lot, share

British Dictionary definitions for lot (2 of 3)

Lot¹

/ (lɒt) /

noun

a department of S central France, in Midi-Pyrénées region. Capital: Cahors. Pop: 164 413 (2003 est). Area: 5226 sq km (2038 sq miles)

a river in S France, rising in the Cévennes and flowing west into the Garonne River. Length: about 483 km (300 miles)

British Dictionary definitions for lot (3 of 3)

Lot²

/ (lɒt) /

noun

Old Testament Abraham's nephew: he escaped the destruction of Sodom, but his wife was changed into a pillar of salt for looking back as they fled (Genesis 19)

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

Idioms and Phrases with lot

lot

see a lot; carry (a lot of) weight; cast one's lot with; fat chance (lot); have (a lot) going for one; have a lot on one's plate; leave a lot to be desired; quite a bit (lot); think a lot of.

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lot

noun

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