• (RP) enPR: lŏt, IPA: /lɒt/
• (GA) enPR: lät, IPA: /lɑt/
• (Boston), (Western Pennsylvania) IPA: /lɔt/

lot (plural lots)

1. A large quantity or number; a great deal.

   Synonyms: load, mass, pile

   to spend a lot of money

   lots of people think so

2. A separate portion; a number of things taken collectively.

   Synonyms: batch, collection, group, set

   a lot of stationery

3. One or more items auctioned or sold as a unit, separate from other items.
4. (informal) A number of people taken collectively.

   Synonyms: crowd, gang, group

   a sorry lot

   a bad lot

5. A distinct portion or plot of land, usually smaller than a field.

   Synonyms: allotment, parcel, plot

   a building lot in a city

6. That which happens without human design or forethought.

   Synonyms: chance, accident, destiny, fate, fortune

   • But save my life, which lot before your foot doth lay.

7. Anything (as a die, pebble, ball, or slip of paper) used in determining a question by chance, or without human choice or will.

   to cast lots

   to draw lots

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Proverbs 16:33 ↗:

     The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

   • c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene iii]:

     If we draw lots, he speeds.

8. The part, or fate, that falls to one, as it were, by chance, or without his planning.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book 11”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     O visions ill foreseen! Each day's lot's / Enough to bear.

   • 1725, Homer; [Alexander Pope], transl., “Book III”, in The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: Printed for Bernard Lintot, OCLC 8736646 ↗:

     He was but born to try / The lot of man — to suffer and to die.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, chapter II, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify ), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292 ↗, book III:

     as Jones alone was discovered, the poor lad bore not only the whole smart, but the whole blame; both which fell again to his lot on the following occasion.| as Jones alone was discovered, the poor lad bore not only the whole smart, but the whole blame; both which fell again to his lot on the following occasion.||tr=|brackets=|subst=|lit=|nocat=1|footer=}}|}}

   • 1977, C-3PO in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

     We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life.

9. A prize in a lottery.

   Synonyms: prize

10. Allotment; lottery.
    • 1990: Donald Kagan, Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy, chapter 2: “Politician”, page 40 (Guild Publishing; CN#English|CN 2239)

      Archons served only for one year and, since 487/6, they were chosen by lot. Generals, on the other hand, were chosen by direct election and could be reelected without limit.

11. (definite, the lot) All members of a set; everything.

    The table was loaded with food, but by evening there was nothing but crumbs; we had eaten the lot.

    If I were in charge, I'd fire the lot of them.

12. (historic) An old unit of weight used in many European countries from the Middle Ages, often defined as 1/30 or 1/32 of a (local) pound.

• See also Thesaurus:lot

• French: groupe, ensemble
• German: Menge, Los, Charge, Haufen, Anzahl
• Italian: gruppo, insieme, quantità
• Portuguese: quantidade

• French: bande
• German: Gruppe, Menge, Haufen, Häuflein, leute
• Portuguese: bando
• Russian: гру́ппа

• French: lot, parcelle
• German: Parzelle, Grund, Grundstück
• Portuguese: lote
• Spanish: loteo

• French: destin
• German: Schicksal, Los
• Italian: destino
• Russian: у́часть
• Spanish: destino

• German: Los
• Russian: жре́бий

• French: lot, sort
• German: Los, Schicksal

• French: lot
• German: Los

• German: Lot

lot (lots, present participle lotting; past and past participle lotted)

1. (transitive, dated) To allot; to sort; to apportion.
2. (US, informal, dated) To count or reckon (on or upon).

• (America) enPR: lät, IPA: /lɑt/

1. A nephew of Abraham in the Bible and Quran.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Genesis 12:5 ↗:

     And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

2. A male given name of biblical origin; rare today.
3. One of the départements of Midi-Pyrénées, France (INSEE code 46)

• French: Lot, Loth
• German: Lot
• Portuguese: Ló, Lot
• Russian: Лот
• Spanish: Lot

• French: Lot