v.; 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. hlôʓ, 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. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 52 b. The landes in fee-simple bee alotted to ye 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. Wakef., 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. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 53 b. That other ploughe lande that allotteth to ye 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 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 Waterpr., 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. trans. 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. Shaks., 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.
