- 1total something to reach a particular total Imports totalled $1.5 billion last year.
- 2total something/somebody (up) to add up the numbers of something/somebody and get a total Each student's points were totalled and entered in a list.
- 3total something (informal, especially North American English) to damage a car very badly, so that it is not worth repairing it see also write somethingoff See related entries: Motoring problems and accidents Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin totalis, from totum ‘the whole’, neuter of Latin totus ‘whole, entire’. The verb, at first in the sense ‘add up’, dates from the late 16th cent.Extra examples Each student’s points were totalled and entered in a list. She never forgave him for totaling her car. Imports totalled $1.5 billion last year. In 2005–6, college enrolments totalled some 5 400.
total
verbBrE BrE//ˈtəʊtl//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtl//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they total BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtl//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtl//
he / she / it totals BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtlz//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtlz//
past simple totalled BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtld//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtld//
past participle totalled BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtld//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtld//
(US English) past simple totaled BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtld//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtld//
(all US English) past participle totaled BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtld//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtld//
-ing form totalling BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtlɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtlɪŋ//
(US English) -ing form totaling BrE BrE//ˈtəʊtlɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈtoʊtlɪŋ//
Motoring problems and accidentsCheck pronunciation: total
