allot, v.
(əˈlɒt)
Also 6–7 alot, allott.
[a. OFr. alote-r (mod. allotir), f. à to + loter, lotir to divide by lot, or into lots, f. lot lot, a Teut. word (Goth. hlauts, OHG. hlôȥ, OE. hlot) of early adoption in the Rom. langs.; It. lotto, Pg. lote, OFr. lot, whence the vbs. It. lottare, Pg. lotar, Fr. loter, lotir.]
1. To distribute by lot, or in such way that the recipients have no choice; to assign shares authoritatively; to apportion.
| 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 52 b, The landes in fee-simple bee alotted to y⊇ younger daughter in allowance of the tenementes tayled allotted to the elder daughter. 1618 Bolton Florus (1636) 167 To allot them out some proportions of Land, instead of pay. 1660 Pepys Diary 22 May, I spent an hour at allotting to every ship their service. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxvi. (1857) 184, I allotted to each of my family what they were to do. 1858 Bright Sp. 285 How your Members shall be allotted to the various constituent bodies. |
† b. intr. To fall by lot, to be apportioned. Obs.
| 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 53 b, That other ploughe lande that allotteth to y⊇ purparty of that other. |
2. Of any absolute authority, the Deity, fate, etc.: To assign as a lot or portion to; to appoint (without the idea of distribution).
| a 1547 Earl of Surrey æneid ii. (R.) The wofull end that was allotted him. 1587 Turberville Trag. T. (1837) 21 For thus the Goddis alotted had her paine. 1681 Dryden Abs. & Achit. i. 252 Heaven has to all allotted, soon or late, Some lucky revolution of their fate. a 1842 Tennyson Will Waterproof 218 The sphere thy fate allots. 1860 Maury Phys. Geog. Sea xvii. §728 The climate which the Creator has..allotted to this portion of the earth. |
3. Hence gen. To assign to a special person as his portion; to appropriate to a special purpose.
| 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 11 Those then that be chosen vnto Bishoprikes, haue allotted to them, not a soueraintie, but a seruice. 1596 B. Griffin Fidessa (1876) 30 This hap her crueltie hath her alotten. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia v. 190 The house and land he had allotted for himselfe. 1718 Free-thinker No. 2. 10 He has a seat allotted him in each theatre. 1758 Johnson Idler No. 101 ¶4 Ten years I will allot to the attainment of knowledge. 1809 Wellington in Gen. Disp. V. 33 Obliged to allot the Portuguese carts..to the purpose of removing the wounded soldiers. |
† 4. To make it the lot of, to appoint, destine (a person to do something). Obs.
| 1588 Greene Pandosto (1607) 24 Vulcan was allotted to shake the tree. 1589 Hay any Work 45 Why was John of London alotted..to pay him 40 pounds? 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. iii. 55 Thou art alotted to be tane by me. 1677 Hale Prim. Orig. Man. ii. viii. 204 We will allott only two of these six to attain to the state of Men and Women. |
† 5. fig. To attribute as due or proper. Obs.
| 1598 Bacon Sacred Med. x. 125 Nothing can be more iustly allotted to be the saying of fooles then this—‘There is no God.’ 1750 Johnson Rambl. No. 172 ¶6 Scarce any man is willing to allot to accident, friendship, etc...the part which they may justly claim in his advancement. |
6. Amer. colloq. to allot upon (occas. without prep.): to count or reckon upon.
| 1816 Pickering Vocab. U.S. 31, I allot upon going to such a place. 1840 Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 93 And I allot we must economise or we will be ruined. |