ˈtælɪ n. & v. --n. (pl. -ies) 1
the reckoning of a
debt or
score. 2 a
total score or
amount. 3 a a mark registering a fixed
number of objects delivered or received. b
such a number as a
unit. 4
hist. a a
piece of
wood scored
across with notches
for the items of an
account and then split into halves,
each party
keeping one. b an account
kept in
this way. 5 a
ticket or
label for
identification. 6 a corresponding
thing,
counterpart, or
duplicate. --v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. by with) 1 intr.
agree or
correspond. 2 tr.
record or
reckon by tally. øtally
clerk an
official who keeps a tally of goods,
esp.
those loaded or unloaded in docks. tally sheet a
paper on
which a tally is kept. tally
system a system of
sale on
short credit or instalments with an account kept by tally. øøtallier n. [ME f. AF tallie, AL tallia, talia f. L talea:
cf. TAIL(2)]