lashings

9.2

A very large amount of something, often said in a friendly or joking way

noun
/ˈlæʃɪŋz/

: montones

We enjoyed the dessert with lashings of cream on top.

Examples

The spicy curry was served with lashings of sauce to enhance the flavor.
The children splashed in the puddles with lashings of joy.
OK, then I'm just going to add a lashing of black mascara.

Synonyms

slew

vslashings

Informal

46 5.7

A large number of things or people

is more joking and exaggerating than this straightforward term

raft

vslashings

Informal

14 5.9

A large number of things or people

is more playful and tends to sound more exaggerated

buttload

vslashings

Offensive

5 8.5

A very large amount of something said jokingly

is similar but typically sounds lighter and less crude

fuckload of

vslashings

Offensive

1 9.9

A very large amount of something used in rude, informal speech

is still informal but usually less shocking in speech

loads

vslashings

Informal

1 1.0

A large number or amount of something

is similar but often sounds more joking or exaggerated

tons

vslashings

Informal

1 2.1

A very large amount of something, often many people or things

is similar but leans more toward playful or humorous use

scores

vslashings

1 2.0

A large number of people or things

is more playful and used to stress great amount casually

oodles

vslashings

Informal

1 6.7

A very large amount of something, for example many things or people

is equally informal but usually even more humorous and light

dozens

vslashings

1 1.0

A large number, usually more than twelve

is more extreme and used for very large or humorous excess

fuckton of

vslashings

Offensive

1 9.9

A very large amount of something that people say in rude language

is less crude and more tongue in cheek in tone

heaps

vslashings

4.8

A large amount of things, for example work, friends, or food

is comparable but usually feels more joking or exaggerated

lots

vslashings

Informal

1.0

A large number of people or things

is more humorous and less neutral in everyday situations

scads

vslashings

Informal

8.4

A very large number of people or things

is more playful and emphasizes extreme abundance humorously

gobs

vslashings

Informal

7.9

A large amount of things like clothes or money

is more playful and less coarse in tone

stacks

vslashings

Informal

3.3

A large amount of things, like books or food

is similar but focuses more on sheer abundance with humour

piles

vslashings

2.1

A large amount of things collected together, often in a stack

is less physical and more about humorous exaggeration

metric fuckton

vslashings

Offensive

9.9

A very large amount said in a rude, informal way

is also informal and exaggerated but often more playful

fuckuva lot

vslashings

Offensive

9.9

A very large amount of something often said in rude language

is similarly extreme but generally more playful than crude

Antonyms

scarcity

29 4.4

A situation where there is not enough of something people need

little

1 1.0

A very small amount or short time

How Much

lashings

9.2

loads

Informal

1 1.0

a lot

∞ 1.0

some

∞ 1.0

a little

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

lashings plural

lashing singular

Morphology

lashings = lashing (opaque) = lash + ing + s

Although the form is the plural of lashing, the sense 'a very large amount' is a lexicalized idiomatic use that is not predictable from lash + -ing + plural -s.

Etymology

Lashings probably comes from the verb lash, which meant 'to strike' or 'to hit' and gives the picture of something being given in a strong, heavy way. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine being given 'lashings' of food or praise, lots and lots, so lashings means 'a very large amount'.