toll
UK: təʊl | US: toʊl
n. a fee charged for using a bridge, road, or other public facility
n. the number of deaths or casualties resulting from a disaster or conflict
vt. to ring a bell slowly and repeatedly, especially for a death or funeral
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The word "toll" originates from Old English toll or tol, meaning "a tax or fee," borrowed from Medieval Latin toloneum (a toll or duty). The verb sense ("to ring a bell") emerged later, influenced by the repetitive sound of bells, possibly linked to the Old English tyllan ("to draw or pull," referencing the pulling of bell ropes). The dual meanings reflect separate but phonetically convergent linguistic paths—one fiscal, the other auditory.
Drivers must pay a toll to cross the bridge.
The earthquake's toll reached over 1,000 lives.
The church bell tolled solemnly at midnight.
Tolls on highways fund infrastructure maintenance.
Historians recorded the toll of the plague in vivid detail.