lots
- 1A large quantity or number; a great deal of something.
The new café drew lots of curious visitors in its first week.
He still has lots to learn before the exam next month.
UsageLots of goes with plural or mass nouns, and the verb follows that noun: lots of people are, lots of money is.
Similarplenty, loads, heaps, tons, masses
Oppositelittle
- 2Plural of lot.
The auction featured several rare lots of antique furniture.
Empty lots along the river were rezoned for housing.
Note
One spelling, several plurals. The singular can be a plot of land, a batch offered together at auction, or the lot drawn to settle a matter by chance, and each forms its plural the same way. To cast lots is the chance meaning; adjacent lots are land. Only context separates them, and none should be confused with the casual "a great deal", which names an amount rather than a set of things.
- 3To a great degree; very much.
After a week of rest and antibiotics, Grandpa is feeling lots better and wants to get back out to his garden.
Prices around here have gone up lots since last year.
UsageGoes before a comparative (lots better) or after a verb (miss you lots); in careful writing, much better is the usual choice.
Similarloads, heaps, greatly, considerably, much
Oppositeslightly
Less common meaning
- 4Third-person singular simple present indicative of lot.
The auctioneer lots the items carefully before opening the bidding.
When a big collection comes in, the dealer lots the coins by country and year so collectors can bid on just the ones they want.
Note
A verb form that shares its spelling with the plural noun, so only the syntax tells them apart: he lots the land, but the lots were sold. The verb has two uses. One means to apportion or sort, and it lives on in the auction trade, where items are lotted for sale. The other, now dated, is an old informal American use: to lot on or upon something, meaning to count on it.
Showing meanings only.
lots is a form of lot
lot, noun: A large quantity or number of something; a great deal. Full entry
- Forms
- lotlots plural
- Spelling
- lot → lots: add -s
- Sound
- The ending sounds like /s/.
Practice
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