different between lot vs less

English

Etymology

From Middle English lot, from Old English hlot (“portion, choice, decision”), from Proto-Germanic *hlut?. Cognate with North Frisian lod, Saterland Frisian Lot, West Frisian lot, Dutch lot, French lot, German Low German Lott, Middle High German luz. Doublet of lotto. Related also to German Los.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: l?t, IPA^(key): /l?t/
• (General American) enPR: lät, IPA^(key): /l?t/
• (Boston, Western Pennsylvania) IPA^(key): /l?t/
• Rhymes: -?t

Noun

lot (plural lots)

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

   Synonyms: load, mass, pile
2. A separate portion; a number of things taken collectively.

   Synonyms: batch, collection, group, set

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

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

   Synonyms: allotment, parcel, plot
6. That which happens without human design or forethought.

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

   • The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
8. The part, or fate, that falls to one, as it were, by chance, or without his planning.
   • 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.

   Synonym: prize

   • Template:RQ:Evelyn
10. Allotment; lottery.
    • 1990: Donald Kagan, Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy, chapter 2: “Politician”, page 40 (Guild Publishing; 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.

12. (historical) 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.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:lot

Derived terms

• a lot

Translations

Verb

lot (third-person singular simple present lots, present participle lotting, simple 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).

Anagrams

• LTO, OTL, tol, tol'

Albanian

Etymology

From Proto-Albanian *l?(i)ta, and adjective in *-to-, from Proto-Indo-European *l?y- (“to pour”).

Noun

lot m (indefinite plural lot, definite singular loti, definite plural lotët)

1. tear (from the eye)

   Gjak, djersë dhe lot — Blood, sweat and tears

Declension

Derived terms

• losh
• loc
• loçkë
• loke

References

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch lot. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l?t/
• Hyphenation: lot
• Rhymes: -?t

Noun

lot n (plural loten, diminutive lootje n)

1. destiny, fate, lot
2. lottery ticket
3. (archaic) lot, allotment (that which has been apportioned to a party)

Related terms

• loten

Descendants

• ? Indonesian: lot

Anagrams

• tol

French

Etymology

From Middle French lot, from Old French loz, los, from Frankish *lot, from Proto-Germanic *hlut?. Cognate with English lot.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lo/

Noun

lot m (plural lots)

1. share (of inheritance)
2. plot (of land)
3. batch (of goods for sale)
4. lot (at auction)
5. prize (in lottery)
6. lot, fate
7. (slang) babe

Derived terms

• gros lot
• sortir du lot

Further reading

• “lot” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch lot, from Proto-Germanic *hlut?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?l?t]
• Hyphenation: lot

Noun

lot (first-person possessive lotku, second-person possessive lotmu, third-person possessive lotnya)

1. lot,
   1. (manufacturing) a separate portion; a number of things taken collectively.
   2. (colloquial) lottery

      Synonyms: lotre, undian

   3. (finance) allotment

Further reading

• “lot” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) Daring, Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 2016.

Norman

Etymology

From Frankish *lot, from Proto-Germanic *hlut?.

Noun

lot m (plural lots)

1. (Guernsey) lot (at auction)

Northern Kurdish

Noun

lot ?

1. jump

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

lot

1. simple past of la (Etymology 1)
2. simple past of late

Polish

Etymology

Compare Czech let and Russian ????? (poljót).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l?t/

Noun

lot m inan

1. flight

Declension

Synonyms

• latanie, fruwanie

Related terms

• (adjectives) lotniczy, lotny, nielotny
• (adverbs) lotniczo, lotnie
• (nouns) lotka, lotnictwo, lotniczka, lotnik, lotnisko, lotniskowiec, nalot, odlot, przylot, ulotka, wylot, latawiec, polatucha, podlotek, przelot
• (verbs) lata?, lecie?, odlatywa?, odlecie?, podlatywa?, podlecie?, polata?, polecie?, przylatywa?, przylecie?, ulatywa?, ulecie?, wylata?, wylecie?, wzlatywa?, zlatywa?, zlecie?

Further reading

• lot in Wielki s?ownik j?zyka polskiego, Instytut J?zyka Polskiego PAN
• lot in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Scottish Gaelic

Noun

lot m (gen lota, pl lotan)

1. sore, wound
2. sting

Tatar

Noun

lot

1. A unit of weight: 1 lot = 3 m?sqal = 12.797 g (archaic) [2]

Declension

West Frisian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

lot n (plural lotten, diminutive lotsje)

1. lottery ticket
2. fate, destiny

Further reading

• “lot (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l?s/
• Rhymes: -?s

Etymology 1

Adverb From Middle English les, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English l?s (“less, lest”), from Proto-Germanic *laisiz (“smaller, lesser, fewer, lower”), from Proto-Indo-European *leys- (“to shrink, grow thin, become small, be gentle”). Cognate with Old Frisian l?s (“less”), Old Saxon l?s (“less”).

Determiner and preposition from Middle English lees, lesse, leasse, lasse, from Old English l?ssa (“less”), from Proto-Germanic *laisizan-, from Proto-Germanic *laisiz (“smaller, lesser, fewer, lower”) (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian lessa (“less”).

Verb from Middle English lessen, from the determiner.

Noun from Middle English lesse, from the determiner.

Adverb

less (negative comparative)

1. comparative degree of little
2. Used for forming negative comparatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the comparative by adding -er.
   • 1957, Lester Del Rey, Rockets Through Space: The Story of Man's Preparations to Explore the Universe:

     This section of space is much less empty than that between the stars, […]
3. To a smaller extent or degree.

Antonyms

• more

Translations

Determiner

less

1. (Now chiefly of numbers or dimensions) comparative form of little: more little; of inferior size, degree or extent; smaller, lesser. [from 11th c.]
   • 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, in Kupperman 1988, page 141:

     Those Rattels are somewhat like the chape of a Rapier, but lesse, which they take from the taile of a snake.

   • 1711,The Spectator, no. 126:

     We are likewise ready to maintain with the hazard of all that is near and dear to us, that six is less than seven in all times and all places […] .
2. A smaller amount of; not as much. [from 12th c.]

3. (sometimes proscribed) Fewer; a smaller number of. [from 14th c.]
   • 1952, Thomas M Pryor, New York Times, 7 Sep 1952:

     This is not a happy situation as far as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes is concerned because it means less jobs for the union's members here at home.

   • 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam 2011, page 555:

     No less than four standard-bearers went before them, carrying huge crimson banners emblazoned with the golden lion.

   • 2003, Timandra Harkness, The Guardian, 16 Dec 2003:

     Although my hosts, G S Aviation, can teach you to fly in Wiltshire, an intensive week at their French airfield means less problems with the weather, cheap but good living, and complete removal from any distractions.

Usage notes

Some^[*] regard the use of the determiner less with countable quantities to be incorrect, stating that less should indicate only a reduction in uncountable quantity, or in size or significance, leaving fewer to indicate a smaller numerical quantity. For example, they suggest saying less sugar, but fewer people, not less people. Such a rule can allow distinctions such as:

• Their troubles are fewer than ours, meaning "Their troubles are not so numerous as ours."
• Their troubles are less than ours, meaning "Their troubles are not so great as ours."

Nevertheless, less has been widely understood and commonly used as a synonym for fewer since it first appeared in Old English as læs.

Antonyms

• more

Translations

See also

• fewer
• lesser

Preposition

less

1. Minus; not including

Antonyms

• plus

Translations

Verb

less (third-person singular simple present lesses, present participle lessing, simple past and past participle lessed)

1. (archaic) To make less; to lessen.
   • 1386-90, Gower, Confessio Amantis

     What he will make lesse, he lesseth.

   • c. 1650, Patrick Gordon of Ruthven, A short Abridgement of Britane's Distemper, from the yeares of God 1639 to 1649, printed 1844 for the Spalding Club

     Som of the wiser sort, divining upon this vission, attrebute to the pen-knyves the lenth of tym before this should com to pass, and it hath been observed by sindrie that the earles of that hous befor wer the richest in the kingdom, having treasure and store besyde them, but ever since the addittion of this so great a revenue, they have lessed the stock by heavie burdens of debt and ingagment.

   • 1816, "Joseph Wharton" [obituary notice], Poulson's Advertiser, quoted in Genealogy of the Wharton Family of Philadelphia: 1664 to 1880, Anne Hollingsworth Wharton (1880)

     The protracted term of life, and the lingering illness through which this gentleman had passed, had neither impaired the original vigour of his mind, nor lessed the uncommon warmth of his affections.

Translations

Derived terms

Noun

less (uncountable)

1. A smaller amount or quantity.

Etymology 2

From Middle English lesse, les, from Old English l?s, as in þ? l?s þe.

Conjunction

less

1. (obsolete) unless
   • 1614, Ben Jonson, Bartholomew Fair

     To tell you true, 'tis too good for you, 'less you had grace to follow it

References

• less at OneLook Dictionary Search
• “less”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “less”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• ELSS, SLEs

Hungarian

Etymology

les +? -j

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?l???]
• Hyphenation: less
• Rhymes: -???

Verb

less

1. second-person singular subjunctive present indefinite of les

Lombard

Etymology

From Latin elixus. Compare Italian lesso (“boiled meat”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?l?s?/

Noun

less m (invariable)

1. boiled meat

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse látast.

Verb

less (present tense less, past tense less)

1. to pretend (to be)

Etymology 2

Verb

less

1. imperative of lesse

References

• “less” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Verb

less

1. imperative of lessa

Etymology 2

Verb

less

1. (non-standard since 2012) past tense of låss

Polish

Etymology

From German Löss.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l?s/

Noun

less m inan

1. (geology) loess

Declension

Derived terms

• (adjective) lessowy

Further reading

• less in Wielki s?ownik j?zyka polskiego, Instytut J?zyka Polskiego PAN
• less in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Swedish

Etymology

Clipping of lessen, pronunciation spelling of ledsen (“sad”), alternatively interpreted as a pronunciation spelling of a clipping of ledsen.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?l?s?/

Adjective

less (comparative mer less, superlative mest less)

1. fed up, done

Declension

Only used with the common gender singular, comparated periphrastically, only used predicatively.