I’ve got a lot of time on my hands…
Or not. It’s just an expression, where a lot means plenty. Only the rich and idle seem to have a lot of time on their hands, and a lot of money, sometimes more than they know what to do with.
It spawns another saying, the devil finds work for idle hands.
This is distinct from the other form of a lot; a piece of land that can be used to build a house, an office building or warehouse, or just land to graze cattle or sheet.
For those with a lot of money, they can buy two lots or four lots.
Lot can also mean everything, i.e. he bought the lot.
Now it’s getting confusing, as only the English language can.
How about, there’s a lot of love in the room. Well, it’s certainly not at a political debate that’s for sure!
Then, still having more money than sense I went to an auction and bid for two lots. Unfortunately, there was someone else who had more money than I did.
My mother had a lot of quaint expressions; once we were sitting opposite a man of dubious character and she said, he’s a bad lot.
Back in the old days, and sometimes these, the word lot was used instead of lottery when names were put in a hat and one drawn as the winner. Today its a little more sophisticated, balls are put in a cage.
And I was never happy with my lot in life. Not till I got older, anyway.