lot

[ lot ]
See synonyms for lot on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. 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.

  2. the casting or drawing of such objects as a method of deciding something: They would have to choose a winner by lot.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  13. Chiefly British. a tax or duty.

verb (used with object),lot·ted, lot·ting.
  1. to divide or distribute by lot (sometimes followed by out): to lot furniture for sale; to lot out apples by the basketful.

  2. to assign to a person as their lot; allot.

  1. to divide into lots, as land.

  2. Obsolete. to cast or draw lots for.

verb (used without object),lot·ted, lot·ting.
  1. to draw lots.

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

Idioms about lot

  1. 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.

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

Origin of lot

1
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 for lot

Other words from lot

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

Other definitions for Lot (2 of 4)

Lot1
[ lot ]

noun
  1. 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 ]

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

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

Other definitions for lot. (4 of 4)

lot.

abbreviation
  1. (in prescriptions) a lotion.

Origin of lot.

4
From the Latin word lōtiō

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for lot (1 of 3)

lot

/ (lɒt) /


pronoun
  1. (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
  1. a collection of objects, items, or people: a nice lot of youngsters

  2. portion in life; destiny; fortune: it falls to my lot to be poor

  1. 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)

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

  3. an assigned or apportioned share

  4. an item or set of items for sale in an auction

  5. mainly US and Canadian an area of land: a parking lot

  6. US and Canadian a piece of land with fixed boundaries

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

  8. a bad lot an unpleasant or disreputable person

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

  10. the lot the entire amount or number

adverb(preceded by a) informal
  1. to a considerable extent, degree, or amount; very much: to delay a lot

  2. a great deal of the time or often: to sing madrigals a lot

verblots, lotting or lotted
  1. to draw lots for (something)

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

  1. (tr) another word for allot

Origin of lot

1
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
  1. a department of S central France, in Midi-Pyrénées region. Capital: Cahors. Pop: 164 413 (2003 est). Area: 5226 sq km (2038 sq miles)

  2. 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
  1. 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.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.