toll
/toul/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A single slow, resonant sound of a bell: The sound made when a large bell is struck, often with a solemn or mournful quality.
- A charge or fee paid for the use of a road, bridge, or other facility: A payment required to use a particular piece of infrastructure, often used for its maintenance.
- The cost, damage, or loss resulting from something: The negative consequence or price, often in human or abstract terms, of an event or action.
Verb:
- To ring a bell slowly and repeatedly: To cause a bell to sound with slow, measured strokes.
- To charge a fee for using a road or bridge: To levy a payment for passage.
Usage Examples
Noun (Sound of a bell):
- The toll of the funeral bell echoed across the valley.
- We could hear the toll of the cathedral clock marking the hour.
Noun (Fee):
- You must pay a toll to cross this bridge.
- The highway toll has increased this year.
Noun (Cost/Loss):
- The war took a heavy toll on the civilian population.
- The emotional toll of the job was very high.
Verb (To ring a bell):
- The bells began to toll at midnight.
- The sexton tolled the bell for the deceased.
Verb (To charge a fee):
- This new road will toll all commercial vehicles.
Advanced Usage
- "to take its toll": To have a cumulative damaging or weakening effect over time.
- Years of stress finally took its toll on his health.
- "to toll for someone/something": To ring a bell, especially as a signal of death or mourning.
- The church bell tolled for the victims of the disaster.
Variants and Related Words
- Tollbooth/Toll gate (n): A booth or barrier where a toll is paid.
- Toll-free (adj): A call or service for which no charge is made to the caller.
- Tollway/Toll road (n): A road on which a toll is charged.
Synonyms
- Noun (Sound): Knell, chime, peal.
- Noun (Fee): Charge, fee, levy, tariff.
- Noun (Cost): Price, cost, penalty, consequence.
- Verb (Ring): Chime, ring, sound, knell.
Phrasal Verbs / Related Phrases
- Toll on/upon (archaic): To announce or signal by tolling a bell.
- The great bell tolled on the hour.
Related Idioms
- "For whom the bell tolls": A phrase meaning that the death of anyone affects everyone; it is a reminder of our shared humanity and mortality. (From a sermon by John Donne).
- When you hear news of a tragedy far away, remember: for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.
Noun
- the sound of a bell being struck
- saved by the bell
- she heard the distant toll of church bells
- value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something
- the cost in human life was enormous
- the price of success is hard work
- what price glory?
- a fee levied for the use of roads or bridges (used for maintenance)
Verb
- charge a fee for using
- Toll the bridges into New York City
- ring slowly
- For whom the bell tolls