lot (redirected from fallen to lot)

be all over the shop (British, informal, American, informal)

1. to be scattered in a lot of different places. What have you been doing with your clothes? They're all over the shop!

2. to be confused and badly organized. I've been so unimpressed by their campaign. They're all over the shop. How can I tell what's the best deal when lending rates are all over the lot?

See also: all, over, shop

be the best of a bad bunch/lot (British & Australian)

to be slightly less bad than other bad people or things in a group. This picture isn't exactly what I would have chosen, but it was the best of a bad lot.

See also: bad, best

a fat lot of good/use (informal)

not helpful or useful. She can't lift anything heavy, so she's a fat lot of use! 'I'm going to tell him exactly what I think of him.' 'A fat lot of good that'll do you!'

See also: fat, good, use

get/take [a lot of/some etc.] stick (British, informal, British, informal)

to be criticized or laughed at because of something that you do. I get a lot of stick from people at work over the way I dress. (often + from) The government has come in for a lot of stick from the press over its handling of the crisis.

See also: some, stick, take

give someone [a lot of/some etc.] stick (British, informal)

get/take [a lot of/some etc.] stick - to be criticized or laughed at because of something that you do. I got your name wrong when I first met you. I recall you gave me a lot of stick about that. (often + about)

See also: give, some, stick

have [a few/a lot etc.] irons in the fire

to have several jobs at the same time or to have several possibilities of work. If that job application doesn't work out I've got a couple more irons in the fire.

See also: few, fire, iron

have a lot going for you

to have many good qualities or advantages that will make it easier for you to succeed. She's bound to find a job. She's got such a lot going for her.

See also: going

have a lot of time for someone/something

to like and admire someone or something. I've got a lot of time for Jenny. She always has something interesting to say. I've got a lot of time for his ideas about child psychology.

See also: time

have [a lot of/a few/several etc.] strings to your bow (British & Australian)

another string to your bow - an extra skill or qualification which you can use if you cannot use your main one. She's a trained counsellor and she does pottery classes in the evenings - she has several strings to her bow.

See also: bow, few, several, string

have a lot to answer for

to be the main cause of a problem or an unpleasant situation. People who sell drugs to kids have a lot to answer for.

See also: answer

have a lot/enough on your plate

to have a lot of work to do or a lot of problems to deal with. I don't want to burden my daughter with my problems; she's got enough on her plate with her husband in prison. Simon can't take on any more work. He's got his plate full as it is.

See also: enough, plate

a job lot (British & Australian)

a collection of objects that are bought or sold together as a group. I bought a job lot of furniture at an auction.

See also: job

leave a lot to be desired

to be much worse than you would like. Apparently, Meg's cooking leaves a lot to be desired. (never in continuous tenses)

See also: desire, leave

there's [much/a lot etc.] to be said for something/doing something

something that you say which means that something has a lot of advantages. There's a lot to be said for living alone.

See also: much, said

throw in your lot with someone

to join a person or group and accept that whatever happens to them will also happen to you. He's understandably reluctant to throw in his lot with a struggling young company who might not exist in a year's time.

See also: throw

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the best of the lot

the most excellent of all people or things considered as a group. The world is bursting with good young violinists, and one of the best of the lot is Vengerov.

See also: best

cast your lot with someone/something

to choose to share in whatever happens to another person or a group. If I'm going to cast my lot with this team, I'm going to try to make them as good as possible any way I can.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of cast your lot (= to throw dice or other objects as a way of deciding what will happen)

See also: cast

have a lot to answer for

to have much of the responsibility for a situation. The owners forced a strike, but the workers have a lot to answer for, too.

answer for something

See also: answer

a heck of a lot of something

a large amount of something. You've spent a heck of a lot of money on that thing.

See also: heck

a hell of a lot of something

a large amount of something. We've got a hell of a lot of books — do you think we should try to get rid of some of them?

See also: hell

leave a lot to be desired

to be not very good, or not as good as you would like. My tennis game is improving, but my backhand still leaves a lot to be desired.

See also: desire, leave

quite a lot

a large number or amount. We've had quite a lot of rain this year.

See also: quite

say a lot about something

to show or express something. In general, I think the way someone dresses says a lot about their attitude.

See also: about, say