noun
tot
tot
noun
1
A small child.
"The tiny tot toddled across the playground."
2
A small drink of liquor.
"He poured himself a tot of whisky before bed."
verb
1
To add up figures to reach a total (often "tot up").
"She totted up the receipts at the end of the day."
How to Use Tot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA very young child, a small measure of spirits, or (as a verb) to add figures together.
Common pairings
tot up
a tot of rum
tiny tot
Word Forms
totted past tense, tots plural, tots singular
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The tiny _____ toddled across the playground.
Etymology
The "add up" sense is a clipping of total; the "small child" sense developed separately in English dialect use.