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lottery Definition

lot·tery (lätər ē)

noun pl. -·ter·ies

  1. a game of chance in which people buy numbered tickets, and prizes are given to those whose numbers are drawn by lot: sometimes sponsored by a state or organization as a means of raising funds
  2. any undertaking that involves chance selections, as by the drawing of lots military draft lottery

Etymology: MFr loterie < MDu loterije < lot, lot

lottery Usage Examples

Converse of subject

allocate: They looked at charter schools in Chicago, where school places are allocated by lottery when a school is over-subscribed.

Converse of object

  • win: The chances of an MP winning the lottery for the first question is once every six years.
  • promote: We report additional ways we have helped to promote the lottery 's impact in Celebrating the lottery's impact.

Adjective modifier

  • unlawful: Whether or not a particular scheme constitutes an unlawful lottery is a matter which only a court can define authoritatively.
  • national: NOTES 1. Canada does not have a state backed national lottery.
  • fair: From today Brits can take part in a fairer weekly lottery.
  • Canadian: The OFT campaign The OFT is launching a campaign to make people aware of the ' Canadian lottery ' scam.
  • weekly: There is also likely to be a weekly lottery.
  • Irish: With up to £ 100 bonus on your first bet play Irish lottery and 49s at Betfred now.

Modifies a noun

  • distributor: Awards for All Awards for All is a lottery grants distributor aimed at local community projects.
  • jackpot: The probability of winning the lottery jackpot with a given ticket is approximately 1 in 14,000,000.
  • ticket: Five pounds a week for lottery tickets worth £ 2?
  • scam: There are many lottery scams in circulation from all over the world.
  • syndicate: Euro lotto Play the National Lotto and Euro Millions EuroMillions Euro lottery Euro lotto in a lottery syndicate from anywhere in the world.
  • funding: Lottery funding has produced a building which meets these aims.

Noun used with modifier

  • postcode: There is no NHS postcode lottery with the gospel.
  • post-code: For example, members of all political parties rail against the so-called ' post-code lottery ' in the NHS.
  • euromillions: At the same time, the man who was behind Ms McNamara in the queue for EuroMillions lottery tickets spoke of his heartache.
  • Monday: The monday lottery is regulated by the Gambling Commission and adheres to its code of practice.
  • heritage: We have identified areas of Wales which have not received their fair share of heritage lottery grants.

Browse dictionary entries near lottery

  1. lotte
  2. lots
  3. lotion
  4. lotic
  5. loti
  6. Lothian
  7. Lothario
  8. loth
  9. lota
  10. lot
  1. Lottie
  2. lotto
  3. lotus
  4. Lotus Domino
  5. lotus-eater
  6. lotus land
  7. lotus position
  8. Lou Gehrig's disease
  9. Louÿs
  10. louche