lottery
[C/U] Both
pl: lotteries
This term evokes the tension between extreme hope and statistical improbability. It carries a strong connotation of a life-altering windfall, often associated with the dream of escaping financial hardship through a single moment of random luck. When used to describe a situation, it suggests a lack of control and a sense of unfairness. It implies that the result is arbitrary and unpredictable, shifting the focus from effort or quality to the sheer randomness of fate.
Countable when referring to a specific game or organization (the national lottery). Uncountable when referring to the general concept of gambling by chance.