toll

/toul/
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toll

The church bell begins to toll at noon.

Definition
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
toll

The church bell begins to toll at noon.

Noun
  1. the sound of a bell being struck
    • saved by the bell
    • she heard the distant toll of church bells
  2. 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?
  3. a fee levied for the use of roads or bridges (used for maintenance)
Verb
  1. charge a fee for using
    • Toll the bridges into New York City
  2. ring slowly
    • For whom the bell tolls