toll

UK: /ˈtəʊl/ US: /toʊl/ ,(tōl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

toll¹ /toʊl/   n. [countable]

1. a fee demanded by an authority for some right or privilege, as for driving along a road.
2. the extent or amount of loss, damage, or suffering resulting from some action:
   The toll from the earthquake was 300 persons dead.
3. Telecommunications a payment made for a long-distance telephone call.

toll² /toʊl/   v. 

1. to (cause a large bell) to sound with single strokes slowly and regularly repeated: [~ + object]
   to toll a bell.
   [no object]
   Bells tolled in the distance.
2. to sound or strike (the hour, etc.) by such strokes:
   [~ + object] The bells tolled the end of the day.
3. to announce the death of someone by such strokes:
   [no object] The bells tolled for the dead sovereign.

n. [countable]

4. the act or sound of tolling a bell.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

toll¹ (tōl),  n. 

1. a payment or fee exacted by the state, the local authorities, etc., for some right or privilege, as for passage along a road or over a bridge.
2. the extent of loss, damage, suffering, etc., resulting from some action or calamity:
   The toll was 300 persons dead or missing.
3. a tax, duty, or tribute, as for services or use of facilities.
4. a payment made for a long-distance telephone call.
5. (formerly, in England) the right to take such payment.
6. a compensation for services, as for transportation or transmission.
7. grain retained by a miller in payment for grinding.

v.t. 

8. to collect (something) as toll.
9. to impose a tax or toll on (a person).

v.i. 

10. to collect toll;
    levy toll.

• Greek telōneîon tollhouse, akin to teló̄nēs tax collector, télos tax; (verb, verbal) Middle English tollen, derivative of the noun, nominal
• Late Latin tolōnēum, for telōnēum
• (noun, nominal) Middle English, Old English toll (cognate with Dutch tol, German Zoll, Old Norse tollr), assimilated variant of Old English toln bef. 1000

Synonyms

• 3. tariff, levy, impost, exaction.

toll² (tōl),  v.t. 

1. to cause (a large bell) to sound with single strokes slowly and regularly repeated, as for summoning a congregation to church, or esp. for announcing a death.
2. to sound or strike (a knell, the hour, etc.) by such strokes:
   In the distance Big Ben tolled five.
3. to announce by this means;
   ring a knell for (a dying or dead person).
4. to summon or dismiss by tolling.
5. to lure or decoy (game) by arousing curiosity.
6. to allure;
   entice:
   He tolls us on with fine promises.

v.i. 

7. to sound with single strokes slowly and regularly repeated, as a bell.

n. 

8. the act of tolling a bell.
9. one of the strokes made in tolling a bell.
10. the sound made.

Also, tole (for defs. 5, 6. ).

• 1175–1225; Middle English tollen to entice, lure, pull, hence probably to make (a bell) ring by pulling a rope; akin to Old English -tyllan, in fortyllan to attract, allure

toll³ (tōl), v.t. [Law.]

1. Lawmaking to suspend or interrupt (as a statute of limitations).

• Latin tollere to remove, take away
• Anglo-French tolre, tol(l)er
• late Middle English tollen to remove, legally annul 1425–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

toll / təʊl/ verb

1. to ring or cause to ring slowly and recurrently
2. (transitive) to summon, warn, or announce by tolling
3. to decoy (game, esp ducks)

noun

1. the act or sound of tolling

Etymology: 15th Century: perhaps related to Old English -tyllan, as in fortyllan to attract

toll / təʊl tɒl/ noun

1. an amount of money levied, esp for the use of certain roads, bridges, etc, to cover the cost of maintenance
2. (as modifier): toll road
3. loss or damage incurred through an accident, disaster, etc: the war took its toll of the inhabitants
4. Also called: tollage (formerly) the right to levy a toll

Etymology: Old English toln; related to Old Frisian tolene, Old High German zol toll, from Late Latin telōnium customs house, from Greek telōnion, ultimately from telos tax