lot

[ lot ]

/ lɒt /

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noun

one of a set of objects, such 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: They would have to choose a winner by lot.

the decision or choice made by drawing or throwing a set of objects such as straws or pebbles.

allotted share or portion: With her lot of the inheritance, she built a business.

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 a person as their 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR lot

4 part, quota.

7 plot, parcel.

12 group, crowd, gang.

See synonyms for lot on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about 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

First recorded 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

Other definitions 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.

Other definitions 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.

Other definitions 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. 2023

How to use lot in a sentence

So that’s a big unexplored side that I think is going to come into a lot of geopolitical risks.
Extra Crunch roundup: A fistful of IPOs, Affirm’s Peloton problem, Zoom Apps and more|Walter Thompson|November 20, 2020|TechCrunch
The series finale itself was — well, it was a lot, and it clearly wasn’t designed to make every fan happy.
Supernatural’s bonkers series finale marked the end of an era of fandom|Aja Romano|November 20, 2020|Vox
A lot of these areas, they are 40 minutes or more away from the nearest towns.
‘Can’t eat a gift card’: Rural food banks fight to put turkeys on the table|Kyle Swenson|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
He also has a lot of helicopter data, but isn’t sure he wants to plunge deeply enough into data science to track trends on chopper usage in the city.
In D.C., a resident tracks the flying machines hovering above on the city’s ‘helicopter highway’|Justin Wm. Moyer|November 20, 2020|Washington Post

It’s not all fake or conspiratorial, but a lot of it sure is.
Blunt 2020 lessons for media, America|Jim VandeHei|November 20, 2020|Axios
In the same passage we are told that men of genius, disseminating truth, are like the soldiers who "lotted the garb of God."
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 67, Number 414, April, 1850|Various
So, or since, the Black Stone had wandered into an auction, for the lotted paper was still on it.
Witch, Warlock, and Magician|William Henry Davenport Adams
So we lotted out the land, of which there is enough for hundreds, and began to build rude houses.
Marie|H. Rider Haggard
On this occasion he had it all clean and prepared for the young friends, as he knew they lotted much on having a sail.
The Pearl Box|"A Pastor"
She's outgrown most of her clothes, an' I'd 'lotted on having her sew some.
Helen Grant's Schooldays|Amanda M. Douglas

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

Other 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.

lot

OTHER WORDS FOR lot

Idioms about lot

Origin of lot

OTHER WORDS FROM lot

Other definitions for lot (2 of 4)

Other definitions for lot (3 of 4)

Other definitions for lot (4 of 4)

Origin of lot.

Words related to lot

How to use lot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lot (1 of 3)

Word Origin for lot

British Dictionary definitions for lot (2 of 3)

British Dictionary definitions for lot (3 of 3)

Other Idioms and Phrases with lot