lot
n. C / Un. a large amount or a large number of something. You use it with 'a' and 'of' to talk about many people or things.
n. a large number or amount; a great deal. Often functions as a quantifier in the construction 'a lot of' or 'lots of'.
I have a lot of work to do today.
There were a lot of people at the concert last night, so it was very crowded.
While the initial investment required a lot of capital, the long-term savings on energy costs justified the expense for the small business owner.
From Hebrew לוֹט (lot). Doublet of Lut.
Borrowed from French Lot.
Usually preceded by 'a' and followed by 'of' when modifying a noun. In the phrase 'a lot of', the verb agrees with the noun that follows (e.g., 'a lot of people are' vs 'a lot of water is').
I like it alotI like it a lotThe phrase 'a lot' is always two separate words; 'alot' is a common spelling error.