lot

1) In the United States, a piece or division of land; perhaps originally assigned by drawing lots, but now any portion, piece, or division.--Webster. This application of the word is peculiar to this country, and is universally used of a parcel of land, whether in town or country. Thus, we have city lots, town lots, house lots, meadow lots, &c. 'I have a fine lot of cleared land, with a wood lot adjoining;' meaning a portion of the forest on which the trees are left for fuel as required. 'In going to town, I left the road, and went across lots, to shorten the distance,' i. e. across the open fields or meadows. "In the first settlement of this country," says Mr. Pickering, "a certain portion or share of land was allotted to each inhabitant of the town; and this was called his lot. Both lot and allotment occur in our early laws."

2) A quantity; a large number. A familiar expression common to England and America, but not in the dictionaries. Thus we hear it said, 'There was a lot of people at the mass-meeting to-day;' 'We shall have lots of folks at our house to-night," etc.

I showed my trunk to Patrick and then went and got into the omnibus, what took me, with a whole lot of other passengers, to the Charleston Hotel.--Maj. Jones's Travels.

My wife at home will warm us up

Some broth of well picked bones for sup;

There's lots of welcome in my house, &c.--Reynard the Fox, p. 46.