lot 
/ˈlɑ:t/ noun
plural lots /ˈlɑ:t/ noun 1 [count] a chiefly US : a small piece of land that is or could be used for buiding something or for some other purpose
▪ He bought the vacant/empty lot across the street. ▪ They own the house on the corner lot. ▪ a building lot — see also parking lot
b : the buildings and land that are owned by a company that makes movies and television programs
▪ We took a tour of the Universal lot. 2 [count] : a small object used to choose the person who will do or receive something ◊When someone is chosen by lot or when people draw lots or (less commonly) cast lots to choose someone, each person in a group takes a small object or a piece of paper from a container. One of the objects or pieces of paper is different from the others, and the person who takes the different one is chosen.
▪ The winner was chosen by lot. ▪ We drew lots to determine the winner. 3 [singular] : a person's situation in life especially as decided by chance
▪ 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. synonyms destiny 4 informal a [count] chiefly Brit : all the members of a group of people — usually singular ▪ Do you know the lot [=bunch, crowd] that hang around the arcade? ▪ That lot will never amount to anything! They're a thoroughly bad lot. ▪ Pipe down, the (whole) lot of you. = Pipe down, you lot. ◊In British English, a person who is not liked is sometimes described as a bad lot.
▪ He may be a bit wild, but he's not a bad lot once you get to know him.
b the lot : all the things of a group
▪ They sell tuxedos, business suits, casual wear…the lot. ▪ This one's the best of the lot. 5 [count] : one or more things being sold as one item at an auction
▪ Lot 45 is a dining room set. — see also job lot
▪ He bought the vacant/empty lot across the street. ▪ They own the house on the corner lot. ▪ a building lot — see also parking lot
b : the buildings and land that are owned by a company that makes movies and television programs
▪ We took a tour of the Universal lot.
▪ The winner was chosen by lot. ▪ We drew lots to determine the winner.
▪ 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. synonyms destiny
▪ He may be a bit wild, but he's not a bad lot once you get to know him.
b the lot : all the things of a group
▪ They sell tuxedos, business suits, casual wear…the lot. ▪ This one's the best of the lot.
▪ Lot 45 is a dining room set. — see also job lot
a lot 1 also (informal) lots : a large amount
▪ She has done a lot to help other people. ▪ I'd give a lot to be able to write like that! ▪ I'm not asking for a lot. [=much] ▪ They must have paid a lot for that car. ▪ We did quite a lot this morning. ▪ We still have a lot to do. = We still have lots (and lots) to do. 2 : very often
▪ Do they hike a lot? ▪ I've been seeing her a lot recently. 3 — used to say that you feel a particular emotion very strongly ▪ “Did you like the movie?” “Yes, I liked it a lot.” [=very much] ▪ I miss her a lot since she went away. 4 also (informal) lots : to a large degree or extent : much
▪ This is a lot nicer. [=this is much nicer] ▪ There's a lot more to it than I realized at first. [=it's more complicated than it looks] ▪ I'm feeling lots better. ▪ Thanks a lot. [=very much]
▪ She has done a lot to help other people. ▪ I'd give a lot to be able to write like that! ▪ I'm not asking for a lot. [=much] ▪ They must have paid a lot for that car. ▪ We did quite a lot this morning. ▪ We still have a lot to do. = We still have lots (and lots) to do.
▪ Do they hike a lot? ▪ I've been seeing her a lot recently.
▪ This is a lot nicer. [=this is much nicer] ▪ There's a lot more to it than I realized at first. [=it's more complicated than it looks] ▪ I'm feeling lots better. ▪ Thanks a lot. [=very much]
a lot of also (informal) lots of
: a large number or amount of (things, people, etc.)
▪ A lot of people feel that way. ▪ There was a lot of space. = There was lots of space. ▪ We had lots of fun. ▪ You can enjoy yourself without spending a lot of money. ▪ It doesn't make a (whole) lot of difference. ▪ We don't have an awful lot of money/time. [=we don't have much money/time] ▪ (informal) I think their ideas are a lot of garbage/nonsense. [=I think their ideas are very foolish] ▪ (informal) It doesn't make a whole lot of [=very much] difference. ▪ Not a lot of people [=not many people] know that. ▪ “I've brought an umbrella.” “A (fat) lot of good that will do [=that will not do any good] now that it's stopped raining!”
▪ A lot of people feel that way. ▪ There was a lot of space. = There was lots of space. ▪ We had lots of fun. ▪ You can enjoy yourself without spending a lot of money. ▪ It doesn't make a (whole) lot of difference. ▪ We don't have an awful lot of money/time. [=we don't have much money/time] ▪ (informal) I think their ideas are a lot of garbage/nonsense. [=I think their ideas are very foolish] ▪ (informal) It doesn't make a whole lot of [=very much] difference. ▪ Not a lot of people [=not many people] know that. ▪ “I've brought an umbrella.” “A (fat) lot of good that will do [=that will not do any good] now that it's stopped raining!”
leave a lot to be desired — see 1desire
throw in your lot with or cast your lot with
: to join or become associated with a person, group, or thing that you hope will win or succeed
▪ During the American Civil War, my great-grandfather threw in his lot with the Confederacy/Union.
▪ During the American Civil War, my great-grandfather threw in his lot with the Confederacy/Union.
