əˈlät also aˈ-; usu -äd.+V verb
( allotted ; allotted ; allotting ; allots )
Etymology: Middle English alotten, from Middle French aloter, from a- (from Latin ad- ) + -loter (from lot, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English hlot lot) — more at at , lot
transitive verb
1. : to assign as a portion or lot
the right of society to allot to each the work … that he should do — J.A.Hobson
as
a. : to prescribe as one's lot (as in life) : ordain , appoint
man's allotted life span according to the psalmist
nature … propels us like children through the role she has allotted us — D.C.Peattie
each in his allotted place
b. : to assign as a share or portion to a particular person or thing or for a particular purpose : allocate
business began to encroach upon the time allotted to rest — S.M.Crothers
allotted to the civilian economy what was left over — Current History
exceeded his allotted time by 15 minutes
specifically : to assign to a subscriber (his proportionate share of an issue of securities)
2. : to distribute by lot or as if by lot : parcel out in parts or portions or to each individual concerned : apportion especially without regard to the choice or wishes of the recipients
the council should not waste time on allotting blame between him and his junior officers
some fairly good-sized parts to allot among all those people who are coming to the tryout — Robertson Davies
3. : to assign as due or deriving : attribute
allot diverse sets of instincts to the biological ego — P.A.Sorokin
intransitive verb
North : intend , reckon , anticipate — usually used with on or upon
I allot upon going
Synonyms:
assign , apportion , allocate : allot may imply more or less arbitrary distribution
allotted a task of vital importance — Sir Winston Churchill
you will probably be allotted your seat for meals — Agnes M. Miall
had been allotted a small sitting room — Compton Mackenzie
assign may stress authoritative, usually fixed, allotment suggesting no necessarily equitable distribution
assigns to different departments their respective powers — John Marshall
antiaircraft guns had been assigned the mission of protecting the bridge — P.W.Thompson
an attic assigned to me as a playroom — R.M.Lovett
apportion suggests a more or less equitable or proportionate distribution
the duty of husbanding and apportioning the meager food stores of the party — W.J.Ghent
works in which the violin and a keyboard instrument are apportioned equal musical interest — A.E.Wier
to apportion the judicial power between the supreme and inferior courts — John Marshall
allocate , chiefly applied to money, materiel, authority, or responsibility, implies appropriation to a particular person, group, or purpose
various sums allocated to the different sciences — S.F.Mason
allocate only part of the supply of the metals in order to affect civilian economy as little as possible — Current Biography
the Marine Corps would be allocated primary responsibility for amphibious development and doctrine pertaining to landing forces — Collier's Year Book