lot

noun (1)

\ ˈlät

Definition of lot

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : an object used as a counter in determining a question by chance

2a : the use of lots as a means of deciding something One was chosen by lot to represent the group.

b : the resulting choice

3a : something that comes to one upon whom a lot has fallen : share The will provided for equal lots for all the children.

b : one's way of life or worldly fate : fortune the lot of man, to suffer and to die— Alexander Pope

4a : a portion of land

b : a measured parcel of land having fixed boundaries and designated on a plot or survey built his home on a half-acre lot

c : a motion-picture studio and its adjoining property

d : an establishment for the storage or sale of motor vehicles a used car lot

5a : a number of units of an article, a single article, or a parcel of articles offered as one item (as in an auction sale) Lot 45 is a dining room set.

b : all the members of a present group, kind, or quantity —usually used with the sampled the whole lot of desserts

6a : a number of associated persons : set fell in with a rough lot

b : kind, sort The recruits were a sorry lot.

7 : a considerable quantity or extent a lot of money lots of friends

all over the lot

: covering a wide or varied range received bids all over the lot

a lot

1 : to a considerable degree or extent this is a lot nicer

2 : often, frequently runs a lot every day

3 : lots

lot

verb

lotted; lotting

Definition of lot (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : allot, apportion

2 : to form or divide into lots

Lot

noun (2)

\ ˈlät

Definition of Lot (Entry 3 of 4)

: a nephew of Abraham who according to the account in Genesis escaped from the doomed city of Sodom with his wife who turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back

Lot

geographical name

\ ˈlät

, ˈlȯt\

Definition of Lot (Entry 4 of 4)

river 300 miles (483 kilometers) long in southern France flowing west into the Garonne River

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about lot

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Choose the Right Synonym for lot

Noun (1)

fate, destiny, lot, portion, doom mean a predetermined state or end. fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome. the fate of the submarine is unknown destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end. the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance it was her lot to die childless , portion implying the apportioning of good and evil. remorse was his daily portion doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate. if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain

Examples of lot in a Sentence

Noun (1)

He bought the vacant lot across the street. They own the house on the corner lot. We took a tour of the Universal lot. The organization has done much to improve the lot of underprivileged youth. Unhappy with her lot in life, she moved to the city to start over.

Verb

everyone is lotted opportunities in life, and it's their responsibility to take them

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Still, there’s a lot for the fans who have stood by his side from the beginning. — Washington Post, "Cuco went from nerdy kid to indie-music hero — and shattered Latino stereotypes in the process," 6 July 2019 But the Avis representative said there was no replacement blade in stock and no vehicle large enough for them on the lot. — Sean P. Murphy, BostonGlobe.com, "A broken windshield wiper on a rental car and the company’s less-than-ideal response — initially," 5 July 2019 There’s a lot of guys pitching really well for that San Antonio team. — Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Is Brewers' Christian Yelich worried about HR Derby ruining his swing? 'Not in the slightest.'," 4 July 2019 In a townhome in Roseville there’s a lot of red, white, and blue on display today. — Caryn M. Sullivan, Twin Cities, "Caryn M. Sullivan: The heart and muscle behind Honor Flight Twin Cities," 4 July 2019 The end of the season brought a lot of big losses for the Stranger Things gang. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "All the Questions We Need Answered in "Stranger Things" Season 4," 4 July 2019 One dose of antibiotics is very efficient in killing off a lot of bacteria that can't resist the effects of the drug. — Svenja Lohner, Scientific American, "How Do You Stop Superbugs?," 4 July 2019 The flat bars and outsize 47-millimeter tires on 650b rims provide lots of comfort for city riding. — Aaron Gulley, Outside Online, "Excellent E-Bikes for Racing, Commuting, and Hauling," 4 July 2019 This country was founded on a lot of great ideals, but it was also founded on slavery. — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, "Opinion: USWNT's Megan Rapinoe is living her patriotism at World Cup. What's your excuse?," 3 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near lot

Statistics for lot

Last Updated

8 Jul 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for lot

The first known use of lot was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for lot

lot

noun

Financial Definition of lot

What It Is

A lot is a securities trade for a “standard” number of trading units. In stock trading, a lot is 100 shares (also called a "round lot"). However, inactive stocks generally trade in 10-share lots.

How It Works

Lots are the standard trading amount, and thus they usually incur the most favorable commission costs. For example, if you wanted to buy six lots of Company XYZ stock, you would be buying 600 shares.

Investors, especially individuals, frequently cannot or do not want to bear the expense of trading shares in round lots, however, which is why most brokers also accept “odd-lot” trades (though they may charge a higher commission for doing so). However, the advent of electronic and online trading platforms has reduced, and in some cases eliminated, these odd-lot premiums.

Why It Matters

Lot investors tend to be larger investors. The ratio of odd-lot buying to odd-lot selling, on the other hand, is often used to evaluate small-investor sentiment.

Source: Investing Answers

lot

noun

\ ˈlät

Kids Definition of lot

1 : an object used in deciding something by chance or the use of such an object to decide something

2 : fate sense 2 It was their lot to be poor.

3 : a piece or plot of land a vacant lot

4 : a large number or amount lots of books a lot of help

lot

noun

Legal Definition of lot

1 : a portion of land specifically : a measured parcel of contiguous land having fixed boundaries and recorded (as on a plat) with the appropriate authority or office (as a registry of deeds)

2 : a single article, a number of units of an article, or a parcel of articles offered as one item (as in an auction sale) specifically : a parcel or single article under the Uniform Commercial Code which is the subject matter of a separate sale, lease, or delivery whether or not it is sufficient to perform the contract — see also odd lot, round lot