lot

[ lot ]

/ lɒt /

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.

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

SYNONYMS FOR lot

4 part, quota.

7 plot, parcel.

12 group, crowd, gang.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR lot ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM lot

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

Words nearby lot

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

Definition for lots (2 of 3)

Lot ¹

[ 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 lots (3 of 3)

Lot ²

[ 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.

Example sentences from the Web for lots

They are made in a social setting, surrounded by lots of other people with various ways to resist bad decisions.

Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans |Philip K. Howard |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Some people worship money, some people worship power, and lots of people worship themselves.

Santa Fails One More Time |P. J. O’Rourke |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
No sign of any North Koreans, just lots of common, or garden, internet cybercriminals.

No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony |Marc Rogers |December 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Sharp did lots of school plays, which led to a role in amateur operetta, then professional pantomime.

The Brit Who Stormed Broadway |Tim Teeman |December 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Her staff had "lots of meetings" over Thanksgiving break, Feinstein said.

CIA Torture Report ‘Days’ Away, Feinstein Says |Tim Mak |December 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
She is the real thing–the real old-fashioned frump–we have lots of them at home.

An American Politician |F. Marion Crawford
They were English officers with lots of ribbons on their jackets.

The Red Watch |J. A. Currie
Never mind, Mary, you can come back to visit us and well write you lots of letters.

Marjorie Dean, High School Junior |Pauline Lester
I don't know what is to be done next; play cards, I suppose; they do, whenever they get together, and lots of drinking.

Little Fishers: and their Nets |Pansy
Of course, lots o' things is impossible, but they happen all the same.

A Book of Ghosts |Sabine Baring-Gould

British Dictionary definitions for lots (1 of 4)

lots

/ (lɒts) informal /

pl n

(often foll by of) great numbers or quantities lots of people; to eat lots

adverb

a great deal

(intensifier) the journey is lots quicker by train

British Dictionary definitions for lots (2 of 4)

lot

/ (lɒt) /

pronoun

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

noun

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

portion in life; destiny; fortune it 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 land a 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 much to delay a lot

a great deal of the time or often to 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 lots (3 of 4)

Lot ¹

/ (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 lots (4 of 4)

Lot ²

/ (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)

Idioms and Phrases with lots

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.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lot

noun

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

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

adverb

Idioms for lot

Origin of lot

SYNONYMS FOR lot

OTHER WORDS FROM lot

Words nearby lot

Definition for lots (2 of 3)

noun

Definition for lots (3 of 3)

noun

Example sentences from the Web for lots

British Dictionary definitions for lots (1 of 4)

pl n

adverb

British Dictionary definitions for lots (2 of 4)

pronoun

noun

adverb (preceded by a) informal

verb lots, lotting or lotted

Word Origin for lot

British Dictionary definitions for lots (3 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for lots (4 of 4)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with lots

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lot

noun

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

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

adverb

Idioms for lot

Origin of lot

SYNONYMS FOR lot

OTHER WORDS FROM lot

Words nearby lot

Definition for lots (2 of 3)

noun

Definition for lots (3 of 3)

noun

Words related to lots

Example sentences from the Web for lots

British Dictionary definitions for lots (1 of 4)

pl n

adverb

British Dictionary definitions for lots (2 of 4)

pronoun

noun

adverb (preceded by a) informal

verb lots, lotting or lotted

Word Origin for lot

British Dictionary definitions for lots (3 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for lots (4 of 4)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with lots