lottery

UK /ˈlɒtəɹi/ US /ˈlɑtɚi/

noun 3

Definitions

noun

A scheme for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, especially a gaming scheme in which one or more tickets bearing particular numbers draw prizes, the other tickets are blanks.

Dave plays the lottery almost every week, but always picks different numbers.

Something decided by chance.

It's a bit of a lottery whether we'll get a good table in that diner.

Allotment; a thing allotted.

Collocations

(noun.)

ADJ

national, state

VERB + LOTTERY

have, hold

The school held a lottery last month to fund the new sports equipment.

win

LOTTERY + VERB

raise sth

The school lottery raised enough money to build a new playground.

LOTTERY + NOUN

ticket

winner

jackpot, prize

She won the lottery jackpot last month and decided to buy a house.

funds

PREP

in a/the ~

She won a holiday in the lottery and could hardly believe her luck.

on the ~

My uncle spent all his savings on the lottery every week hoping to win big.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — players buy (or are given) chances and prizes are distribute

drawing

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

ghetto lottery

A financial windfall obtainable by a socioeconomically disadvantaged person.

The experts all agree that sports betting and the numbers game—the ghetto lottery—are the biggest sources of income for the mob, and this money is used to finance other rackets lik

genetic lottery

The concept that any advantageous or disadvantageous genetic traits and abilities that a person inherits from their parents are largely determined by chance.

win the lottery

To experience an extraordinary or highly fortunate event.

The juror snorted. “That guy thought he won the lottery just because he was out of commission for 90 days. When he found out what his problem was, the first thing he did was go to

Example Bank

Dave plays the lottery almost every week, but always picks different numbers.

Wiktionary

It's a bit of a lottery whether we'll get a good table in that diner.

Wiktionary

My mother prefers the arbitrary selection of the lottery machines over my lucky numbers.

Tatoeba · #1932

If you were to win the lottery, what would you buy with the money?

Tatoeba · #25322

I don't have good luck, so I don't play pachinko or buy lottery tickets.

Tatoeba · #39821

Did Jerry really win a lottery?

Tatoeba · #53682

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, lottery is marked as figuratively, obsolete. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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