lottery
gb/lˈɑtɚi/ us/lˈɑtɚi/
B1
Angličtina
~ 5500
Významy
0 významů
Podstatné jméno
B1
event
1
game of chance with money prizes
A game where people buy tickets with numbers, and some tickets are picked by chance to win money or other prizes.
Vzorec užití:
[someone] plays the lottery
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes use *lottery* for any small prize game, even when tickets are not sold (e.g., classroom games). In English, *lottery* usually involves buying tickets and large, organized money prizes. For small, local charity draws, *raffle* is often more natural.
Synonyma
raffle (Similar idea of tickets and a random draw, but usually smaller, local, and for charity rather than large public gambling.)
|
sweepstake (A large prize competition based on chance; often used for big promotional or sports-related draws.)
Antonyma
sure thing (Emphasizes that the outcome is guaranteed, unlike a lottery where winning is uncertain.)
Kolokace
play the lottery
|win the lottery
|buy a lottery ticket
|lottery jackpot
|state lottery
|lottery numbers
Témata
entertainment
|money
|risk
|daily_life
|finance
Příklady
- He buys a ticket every week in the hope of winning the lottery.
- The state lottery raises millions of dollars each year for public schools.
- She checked her lottery numbers online and was shocked to see she had matched all six.
- Many people dream of quitting their jobs if they ever hit the national lottery.
- The charity is running a Christmas lottery with a car as the top prize.
Učební příklady
- I play the lottery every Friday.
- She won the lottery and became very rich.
- He bought three lottery tickets at the store.
- The lottery gives money to local schools.
- We watched the lottery draw on TV.
Podstatné jméno
B2
state
2
situation decided mostly by luck
A situation where what happens is mostly luck, not planning or skill, so you cannot know or control the result.
Vzorec užití:
[something] is a lottery
Častá chyba:
Learners may think *lottery* only means a money game. In modern English it is also very common to say something *is a lottery* to mean it depends on luck. Do not use *lottery* in this sense with a verb like *play*; instead say *Getting a place there is a lottery*, not *You play a lottery to get a place*.
Synonyma
crapshoot (Informal American term that strongly emphasizes risk and lack of control, often more casual than *lottery*.)
|
gamble (Stresses taking a risk; can imply an active decision to risk something, while *lottery* can be more passive and about general uncertainty.)
Antonyma
certainty (Describes a situation with a sure, predictable result, which is the opposite of something being a lottery.)
Kolokace
it’s a lottery
|a bit of a lottery
|housing lottery
|job market is a lottery
|exam grading is a lottery
|healthcare lottery
Témata
life
|risk
|probability
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Příklady
- With so many applicants, getting a place at that university is a lottery.
- Finding affordable housing in this city feels like a lottery.
- The weather here is a complete lottery; you never know what you’re going to get.
- For freelancers, monthly income can be a bit of a lottery.
- In some countries, access to good healthcare is a postcode lottery.
Učební příklady
- In this city, finding a cheap flat is a lottery.
- Getting tickets for the concert was a lottery.
- The weather in April is a bit of a lottery.
- Sometimes job interviews are a lottery; good people do not get the job.
- School places are a lottery in my area.
Podstatné jméno
B2
action
3
official random selection system
A formal system where a government or organization chooses people by chance, for example for visas, school places, or military service.
Vzorec užití:
a lottery for [something]
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the gambling game and talk about *winning money* when the lottery is for visas, school places, or housing. In this sense, people are selected by chance, but the result is usually a right or obligation, not a cash prize.
Synonyma
random draw (Stresses the method (drawing names by chance) rather than the official system around it.)
|
ballot (In British English, sometimes used for a random selection for places or tickets; can also mean a vote, so context is important.)
Antonyma
merit-based selection (Selection based on ability or achievement, not random chance.)
Kolokace
visa lottery
|draft lottery
|school lottery
|housing lottery
|lottery system
|selection by lottery
Témata
government
|society
|law
|education
Příklady
- Each year, thousands of people apply for the U.S. green card lottery.
- The school used a lottery to decide which children would get a place in the new program.
- During the war, many young men were called up through the draft lottery.
- The city runs a housing lottery for low-income families.
- To keep the process fair, participants were chosen by lottery rather than by interview.
Učební příklady
- They entered the green card lottery to move to the U.S.
- Our city has a lottery for cheap apartments.
- The school used a lottery to choose new students.
- During the war, soldiers were picked by a draft lottery.
- A lottery system was used so that everyone had the same chance.
Gramatika
Slovníkový tvar
lottery
IPA
GB/lˈɑtɚi/
US/lˈɑtɚi/
Slabiky a přízvuk
lot - tery (2 slabiky)
Stress on 1st syllable (lot)
Tvary slova
Noun
- Base: lottery
- Plural: lotteries
Příbuzná slova
Forms
lotteries
noun
Related words
lotto
noun
lot
noun A1
Výrazy
a bit of a lottery
1/ə bˈɪt əv ə lˈɑtɚi/
idiom
somewhat unpredictable, luck-based situation
Used to say that something is quite unpredictable and depends a lot on luck.
Příklady
- Getting a table at that restaurant without a booking is a bit of a lottery.
- The quality of budget airlines is a bit of a lottery.
- Parking near the stadium on match days is a bit of a lottery.
it’s a lottery
1/ˈɪts ə lˈɑtɚi/
idiom
result depends mostly on luck
Used to say that the result of something is mostly luck and you cannot control or predict it.
Příklady
- With so many strong candidates, it’s a lottery who will get the job.
- In this town, it’s a lottery whether the bus will come on time.
- When it comes to online dating, it’s a bit of a lottery.
lottery jackpot
1/lˈɑtɚi d͡ʒˈækpˌɑt/
fixed phrase
largest prize in a lottery
The biggest amount of money that you can win in a lottery game.
Příklady
- This week’s lottery jackpot is over 50 million dollars.
- No one won the lottery jackpot, so it will roll over to next week.
- They shared the lottery jackpot with three other winners.
lottery ticket
1/lˈɑtɚi tˈɪkɪt/
fixed phrase
ticket used to enter lottery
A paper or digital card that you buy to enter a lottery game.
Příklady
- Don’t lose your lottery ticket, or you can’t claim the prize.
- He keeps his lottery tickets on the fridge with a magnet.
- She bought a lottery ticket on her way home from work.
lottery winner
1/lˈɑtɚi wˈɪnɚ/
fixed phrase
person who wins a lottery
A person who wins money or another prize in a lottery game.
Příklady
- The anonymous lottery winner donated half of the prize to charity.
- Past lottery winners were invited to the celebration event.
- They interviewed a lottery winner about how his life had changed.
play the lottery
1/plˈeɪ ðə lˈɑtɚi/
fixed phrase
take part in a lottery game
To take part in a lottery by buying tickets and hoping to win.
Příklady
- I only play the lottery when the jackpot is very big.
- They have been playing the lottery together for twenty years.
- He refuses to play the lottery because he thinks it’s a waste of money.
postcode lottery
1/pˈɑstkˈoʊd lˈɑtɚi/
idiom
unequal services based on location
Used especially in the UK to describe when public services or chances are better in some areas than others, simply because of where people live.
Příklady
- Cancer treatment in this country has been called a postcode lottery.
- Access to good schools is a postcode lottery for many families.
- The report criticized the postcode lottery in mental health services.
win the lottery
1/wˈɪn ðə lˈɑtɚi/
fixed phrase
receive the top lottery prize
To get the main prize in a lottery game, usually a very large amount of money.
Příklady
- If I ever win the lottery, I’ll travel around the world.
- She dreams of winning the lottery and paying off all her debts.
- He acted as if he had won the lottery when he heard about his promotion.