Nearby Words
noun
1.
one of a set of objects, 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: to choose a person by lot.
3.
the decision or choice made by such a method.
4.
allotted share or portion: to receive one's lot of an inheritance.
5.
EXPANDthe portion in life assigned by fate or providence; one's fate, fortune, or destiny: Her lot had not been a happy one.
6.
a distinct portion or piece of land: a building lot.
7.
a piece of land forming a part of a district, city, or other community.
8.
South Midland and Southern U.S. a farmyard or barnyard.
9.
10.
Movies. a motion-picture studio and its surrounding property.
11.
a distinct portion or parcel of anything, as of merchandise: The furniture was to be auctioned off in 20 lots.
12.
a number of things or persons collectively: There's one more, and that's the lot.
13.
kind of person; sort: He's a bad lot.
14.
Often, lots. a great many or a great deal: a lot of books; lots of money.
15.
COLLAPSEChiefly British. a tax or duty.
verb (used with object)
16.
to divide or distribute by lot (sometimes followed by out): to lot furniture for sale; to lot out apples by the basketful.
17.
to assign to one as his or her lot; allot.
18.
to divide into lots, as land.
19.
Obsolete. to cast or draw lots for.
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Lots
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
verb (used without object)
20.
to draw lots.
adverb
Idioms21.
Often, lots. a great deal; greatly: Thanks a lot for the ride. I care lots about my family.
22.
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.
23.
draw/cast lots, to settle a question by the use of lots: They drew lots to see who would go first.
Origin:
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
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
Related forms
lot·ter, noun
in·ter·lot, verb (used with object) -lot·ted, -lot·ting.
sub·lot, noun
un·lot·ted, adjective
Synonyms
4. part, quota. 7. plot, parcel. 12. group, crowd, gang.
4. part, quota. 7. plot, parcel. 12. group, crowd, gang.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To lots
Collins
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
lot
O.E. hlot "object (anything from dice to straw, but often a chip of wood with a name inscribed on it) used to determine someone's share," also "what falls to a person by lot," from P.Gmc. *khlutom (cf. O.N. hlutr "lot, share," O.H.G. hluz "share of land," O.E. hleotan "to cast lots, to foretell"), of
EXPANDunknown origin. The object was placed with others in a receptacle, which was shaken, the winner being the one that fell out first. Hence, to cast lots. In some cases the lots were drawn by hand. The word was adopted from Gmc. into the Romanic languages (cf. lottery, lotto). Meaning "choice resulting from the lasting of lots" first attested c.1200. Sense of "plot of land" is first recorded 1630s (distribution of the best property in new settlements often determined by casting lot), that of "group, collection" is 1725, from notion of auction lots. The generalized sense of "great many" is first attested in 1812. To cast (one's) lot with another is to agree to share winnings.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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