Lexic.us

Definition of Tally

1. Verb. Be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics. "The suspect's fingerprints don't match those on the gun"

2. Noun. A score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely. "Their first tally came in the 3rd inning"

3. Verb. Gain points in a game. "He hit .300 in the past season"

4. Noun. A bill for an amount due.

5. Verb. Keep score, as in games.

6. Noun. The act of counting; reciting numbers in ascending order. "The counting continued for several hours"

7. Verb. Determine the sum of. "Add all the people in this town to those of the neighboring town"

Definition of Tally

1. n. Originally, a piece of wood on which notches or scores were cut, as the marks of number; later, one of two books, sheets of paper, etc., on which corresponding accounts were kept.

2. v. t. To score with correspondent notches; hence, to make to correspond; to cause to fit or suit.

3. v. i. To be fitted; to suit; to correspond; to match.

4. adv. Stoutly; with spirit.

Definition of Tally

1. Adjective. (British) Used as a mild intensifier: very (almost exclusively used by the upper classes). ¹

2. Noun. Originally, a piece of wood on which notches or scores were cut, as the marks of number; ¹

3. Noun. Later, one of two books, sheets of paper, etc., on which corresponding accounts were kept. ¹

4. Noun. Hence, any account or score kept by notches or marks, whether on wood or paper, or in a book, especially one kept in duplicate. ¹

5. Noun. One thing made to suit another; a match; a mate. ¹

6. Noun. A notch, mark, or score made on or in a tally; as, to make or earn a score or tally in a game. ¹

7. Noun. A tally shop. ¹

8. Verb. (transitive) To count something ¹

9. Verb. (transitive) To record something by making marks ¹

10. Verb. (transitive) To make things correspond or agree with each other ¹

11. Verb. (intransitive) To keep score ¹

12. Verb. (intransitive) To correspond or agree ¹

13. Adverb. (obsolete) In a tall way; stoutly; with spirit. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Tally

1. to count [v -LIED, -LYING, -LIES] - See also: count

Medical Definition of Tally

1. Origin: OE. Taile, taille, F. Taille a cutting, cut tally, fr. Tailler to cut, but influenced probably by taille, p.p. Of tailler. See Tailor, and cf. Tail a limitation, Taille, Tallage. 1. Originally, a piece of wood on which notches or scores were cut, as the marks of number; later, one of two books, sheets of paper, etc, on which corresponding accounts were kept. In purshasing and selling, it was once customary for traders to have two sticks, or one stick cleft into two parts, and to mark with a score or notch, on each, the number or quantity of goods delivered, the seller keeping one stick, and the purchaser the other. Before the use of writing, this, or something like it, was the only method of keeping accounts; and tallies were received as evidence in courts of justice. In the English exchequer were tallies of loans, one part being kept in the exchequer, the other being given to the creditor in lieu of an obligation for money lent to government. 2. Hence, any account or score kept by notches or marks, whether on wood or paper, or in a book; especially, one kept in duplicate. 3. One thing made to suit another; a match; a mate. "They were framed the tallies for each other." (Dryden) 4. A notch, mark, or score made on or in a tally; as, to make or earn a tally in a game. 5. A tally shop. See Tally shop, below. Tally shop, a shop at which goods or articles are sold to customers on account, the account being kept in corresponding books, one called the tally, kept by the buyer, the other the counter tally, kept by the seller, and the payments being made weekly or otherwise by agreement. The trade thus regulated is called tally trade. To strike tallies, to act in correspondence, or alike. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Tally

tallow oil tallow soap tallowed tallower tallowers tallowiness tallowing tallowish tallows tallowwood

tallowwoods tallowy talls tallus tallwood tally (current term) tally-ho tally clerk tally ho tally room

tally shop tally trade tallyho tallyhoed tallyhoing tallyhos tallying tallyman tallymen tallywacker

Literary usage of Tally

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Giving the Derivation, Source, Or Origin of by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1898)
"tally (-•/). The price paid for picking a bushel of hops. It varies (1891) from Ud. to2£d. V In 1834 orders were issued to destroy the tallies. ..."

2. Notes and Queries by Martim de Albuquerque (1881)
"Os. Od.” and the knife inserted on one of the notched Mdc., atthe The face of this tally is inscribed, “ Ld David Parry diagonal cut, when two or three ..."

3. A Dictionary, Practical, Theoretical, and Historical, of Commerce and by John Ramsey McCulloch (1852)
"In the metropolis there are about 60 or 70 tally-shop« of note ; and from ... The customers of the tally-shops are mostly women ; consisting, principally, ..."

4. Borough Customs by Mary Bateson (1904)
"and then denies, the man who delivered the goods can prove the delivery by lawful and sufficient suit of one accord. Debt alleged upon a tally or Deed. ..."

5. The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language by William Dwight Whitney (1891)
"Eng.] To "Hve tally" is quite a common expression amongst the working classes in all parts of Lancashire, as is also tally-woman. У. and Q., 7th ser., ..."

6. The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction by Reuben Percy, John Timbs (1834)
"that John should be at liberty to sue out a new tally for the five marks, with the 60*. added. In the same light they teem adverted to by some lines of ..."

Other Resources: