tally
Tally (verb) means to count or add up a total. Example: “The clerk tallied the votes late into the night.”
How to use tally
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo keep count of something, or a running total of that count.
Word forms
more tally comparative, tallied past tense, tallies singular, most tally superlative
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Let's _____ up how much we spent this month.
Etymology
A shortened form of "tallyho," though the counting sense comes from an older tradition of recording numbers with notches on a stick.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for tally
See all rhymes for tally →Frequently asked questions
What does “tally” mean?
The word “tally” means to count or add up a total. In plain terms, to keep count of something, or a running total of that count.
How do you pronounce “tally”?
“Tally” is pronounced TA-lee (/ˈtæli/ in IPA).
How do you use “tally” in a sentence?
Here is “tally” used in a sentence: “Let's tally up how much we spent this month.”
What is another word for “tally”?
Words with a similar meaning to “tally” include number.
What part of speech is “tally”?
Depending on how it is used, “tally” can be a verb and a noun.
Is “tally” a common word?
“Tally” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “tally” have?
“Tally” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to count or add up a total.
What is the difference between tally and count?
Tally as a verb often implies keeping or updating a running total over time, such as tallying votes as they come in, while count can describe a single act of determining a quantity at any point. As a noun, a tally specifically refers to the running total itself, whereas a count is more general.
What does it mean when two things tally?
When two things tally, it means they match or agree with each other, such as when the receipts tally with the bank statement. This sense of tally is used to describe consistency between records, accounts, or figures.
Where does the phrase 'tally up' come from?
To tally up simply means to add together a set of figures to reach a total, and the phrase is common in everyday contexts like tallying up scores, votes, or expenses. It reflects the noun sense of tally as a running count or total.