allot

/əˈlɑt/

/əˈlɒt/

Other forms: allotted; allotting; allots; alloted

When you allot something, you are giving out portions: “Becky was able to allot five snacks per employee, but in the afternoon some workers sneaked back into the break room for more.”

Be careful not to mistake allot for “a lot” (a large number), which has a similar spelling and the same pronunciation. Use the verb allot when you need to describe the act of assigning portions of something — be it snacks, time, or blame. The word is often used in the sense of an official group, such as a government or a corporation, dividing up and distributing small portions of something desirable, such as funding, shares, or land: “Zenitech Corporation was able to allot land rights to four groups in the area.”

Definitions of allot

1. verb

   give out
   synonyms: assign, portion

   types:

   allow, appropriate, earmark, reserve, set aside

   give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause

   allocate, apportion

   distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose

   reallocate, reapportion

   allocate, distribute, or apportion anew

   ration, ration out

   distribute in rations, as in the army

   award, present

   give, especially as an honor or reward

   type of:

   administer, deal, deal out, dish out, dispense, distribute, dole, dole out, lot, mete, mete out, parcel out, shell out

   administer or bestow, as in small portions
2. verb

   administer or bestow, as in small portions
   synonyms: administer, deal, deal out, dish out, dispense, distribute, dole, dole out, lot, mete, mete out, parcel out, shell out

   types:

   assign, portion

   give out

   reallot

   allot again

   deal

   distribute cards to the players in a game

   apply, give

   give or convey physically

   allow, appropriate, earmark, reserve, set aside

   give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause

   allocate, apportion

   distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose

   misdeal

   deal cards wrongly

   tread

   apply (the tread) to a tire

   administer

   perform (a church sacrament) ritually

   type of:

   give

   transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody
3. verb

   allow to have
   synonyms: accord, grant

   types:

   give

   accord by verdict

   enfranchise

   grant voting rights

   type of:

   give

   transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody