Word
Definition
v. to give a specific amount of something to a person or group. You use this when you are distributing time, money, or space in a planned way.
v. to assign or distribute a specified amount of something, such as time, money, or space, to a particular person or purpose. Transitive — requires a direct object and often a prepositional phrase indicating the recipient.
Examples
“The teacher will allot ten minutes for the final question.”
“The city council decided to allot a portion of the new budget to improve public transportation in the downtown area.”
“While the initial proposal suggested a generous allotment of resources, the committee eventually reduced the amount to ensure that every department received a fair share of the annual grant.”
Examples
simple
“The teacher will allot ten minutes for the final question.”
contextual
“The city council decided to allot a portion of the new budget to improve public transportation in the downtown area.”
complex
“While the initial proposal suggested a generous allotment of resources, the committee eventually reduced the amount to ensure that every department received a fair share of the annual grant.”
Confusables
A lot indicates a large quantity or frequency, while allot is the act of assigning or distributing shares.
RememberAllot has two L's for 'Limited Lines' or 'Legal Limits'.
Real-World Examples
“Several parents credited their children’s advanced social skills to the extended time allotted for play.” “It means reading a book that a child actually chose, rereading an old favorite, and allotting time for a teacher to read aloud purely because it brings joy to the class.” Etymology
From Middle English allotten, from Old French aloter (Modern French allotir). à + lot.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/allot
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0