toll

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈtōl

Synonyms of toll next

: a tax or fee paid for some liberty or privilege (as of passing over a highway or bridge)

: compensation for services rendered: such as

: a charge for transportation

: a charge for a long-distance telephone call

: a grievous or ruinous price

inflation has taken its toll

especially : cost in life or health

the death toll from the hurricane

toll

2 of 5

verb (1)

tolled; tolling; tolls

intransitive verb

: to take or levy toll

transitive verb

: to exact part of as a toll

: to take as toll

: to exact a toll from (someone)

toll

3 of 5

verb (2)

tolled; tolling; tolls

intransitive verb

: to sound with slow measured strokes

the bell tolls solemnly

transitive verb

: to sound (a bell) by pulling the rope

: to give signal or announcement of

the clock tolled each hour

: to announce by tolling

church bells tolled the death of the bishop

: to call to or from a place or occasion

bells tolled the congregation to church

toll

4 of 5

verb (3)

ˈtōl

variants or tole

tolled or toled; tolling or toling

transitive verb

: allure, entice

: to entice (game) to approach

: to attract (fish) with scattered bait

: to lead or attract (domestic animals) to a desired point

Examples of toll in a Sentence

Verb (2) let the church bells joyously toll on this most happy occasion

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Job growth has been slowing as catch-up effects following the COVID-19 crisis fade and the Fed’s high interest rates to fight inflation take a growing toll on business hiring and investment. —

Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2024 The labor unrest serves as a reminder of the pandemic's lingering toll on low-wage women, especially Black and Hispanic women who are overrepresented in front-facing service jobs. —

Compiled Bydemocrat-Gazette Stafffrom Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 2 Sep. 2024

Verb

The school bell has tolled and students all over the country are back in class, laboring away to expand their minds and their future job prospects. —

K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 3 Sep. 2024 Whether the family wants to get up close and personal with wildlife, explore nature, experience immersive art or cool off in a nice pool, Las Vegas offers something for everyone before school bells toll again. —

Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for toll

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English, from Vulgar Latin *tolonium, alteration of Late Latin telonium customhouse, from Greek tolōnion, from telōnēs collector of tolls, from telos tax, toll; perhaps akin to Greek tlēnai to bear

Verb (2)

Middle English, to pull, drag, toll (a bell), perhaps alteration of toilen to struggle — more at toil

Verb (3)

Middle English tollen, tolen; akin to Old English fortyllan to seduce

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of toll was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Toll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toll. Accessed 17 Sep. 2024.

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Kids Definition

toll

1 of 3 noun

ˈtōl

: a tax paid for a privilege (as the use of a highway or bridge)

: a charge paid for a service

: the cost in life or health

the death toll from the hurricane

toll

2 of 3 verb

: to announce or call by the sounding of a bell

: to sound with slow strokes

the bell tolls solemnly

toll

3 of 3 noun

: the sound of a tolling bell

Etymology

Noun

Middle English toll "a tax or fee paid to be allowed to do something," from early French toll (same meaning), derived from Latin telonium "a house where duties on imports are paid and ships' cargoes are checked," derived from Greek telos "tax, toll"

Verb

Middle English tollen "to pull, drag, or toll (a bell)," perhaps from Middle English toilen "to struggle"

Legal Definition

toll

1 of 3 noun

: a charge for the use of a transportation route or facility

broadly : a charge for use

a water toll

toll

2 of 3 verb

transitive verb

: to take away (as a right)

: to remove the effect of

the court did not toll the statute of repose after the statutory period had expired

: suspend sense 2a

toll the running of the statute of limitations

compare run

intransitive verb

: to be suspended

statute of limitations tolls for a period of seventy-five days following the notice—

Parker v. Yen, 823 S.W.2d 359 (1991)

toll

3 of 3 noun

: a suspension of effect

the court extended the statute of limitations toll

Etymology

Noun

Old English, tax or fee paid for a liberty or privilege, ultimately from Late Latin telonium custom house, from Greek tolōnion, from telōnēs collector of tolls, from telos tax, toll

Verb

Anglo-French tollir, toller to take away, make null, bar, ultimately from Latin tollere to lift up, take away

Last Updated: 8 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences

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toll

noun (1)

verb (1)

verb (2)

noun (2)

verb (3)

Synonyms

Examples of toll in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near toll

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition