lot

[ lot ]

/ lɒt /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lot ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Nearby words

lost river, lost river range, lost tribes, lost tribes of israel, lost-wax process, lot, lot's wife, lot-et-garonne, lot., lota, lote

Idioms

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

SYNONYMS FOR lot

4 part, quota.

7 plot, parcel.

12 group, crowd, gang.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lot ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Definition for lot (2 of 5)

Lot

[ lot ]

/ lɒt /

noun

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

Definition for lot (3 of 5)

Lot

[ lawt ]

/ lɔt /

noun

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

a department in S France. 2018 sq. mi. (5225 sq. km). Capital: Cahors.

Definition for lot (4 of 5)

lot.

(in prescriptions) a lotion.

Origin of lot.

From the Latin word lōtiō

Definition for lot (5 of 5)

a lot

[ uh lot ]

/ ə ˈlɒt /

noun

lot(def 14).

adverb

lot(def 21).

Can be confused

a lot allot

Usage note

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lot

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
There was a lot of prison fiction from movies and books to mine.
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS|Marlow Stern|January 8, 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
Carlier said to Kayerts in a careless tone: "I say, chief, I might just as well give him a lift with this lot into the store."
Tales of Unrest|Joseph Conrad
He wrote a lot of letters this morning and put them in his dispatch-box.
'Farewell, Nikola'|Guy Boothby
So I think I did a good job and made a lot of friends, who used to write to me from there.
Warren Commission (9 of 26): Hearings Vol. IX (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
The Apostles|Ernest Renan
I've lived and borne my lot these eight or nine long years, and can bear it longer if need be.
Campaigning with Crook and Stories of Army Life|Charles King

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)

Lot

/ (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)

Lot

/ (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 (1 of 2)

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.

Idioms and Phrases with lot (2 of 2)

a lot

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]