# toll

/ˈtoʊɫ/ (US) · /tˈəʊl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/toll
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. road fee

noun · CEFR B1

a small amount of money you must pay to use a particular road, bridge, or tunnel.

For teachers: a fixed charge or tax levied for the use of public or private infrastructure, such as a highway or bridge.

- We had to stop at the booth to pay the five-dollar toll for the bridge.
- The government proposed increasing the bridge toll to fund the maintenance of the aging suspension cables.

### 2. cost or damage

noun · CEFR B2

the amount of suffering, death, or damage caused by something bad like a war or an accident.

For teachers: the cumulative amount of loss, damage, or suffering resulting from a specific event or condition.

- The heavy storm took a terrible toll on the small fishing village.
- Years of working in the coal mines eventually took a heavy toll on his physical health and respiratory system.

### 3. bell sound

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

the slow, steady sound of a large bell ringing, often for a funeral.

For teachers: the slow, rhythmic ringing of a bell, typically performed as a signal or during a solemn ceremony.

- The distant toll of the church bell signaled the start of the ceremony.
- The mournful toll of the cathedral bell echoed through the valley, announcing the passing of the local dignitary.

### 4. to ring a bell

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to ring a bell slowly and repeatedly.

For teachers: to sound a bell with slow, measured strokes, often to mark a death or a formal occasion.

- The monks began to toll the bell at midnight.
- The bell was tolled twenty-one times to honor the fallen soldiers during the memorial service.

### 5. to suspend a legal period

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

to officially stop a legal time limit for a short period.

For teachers: to suspend or interrupt the running of a time period, such as a statute of limitations.

- The judge decided to toll the deadline because the lawyer was very ill.
- The agreement included a provision to toll the statute of limitations while the parties attempted to reach a private settlement.

Usage: The verb is transitive and usually refers to a statute of limitations or a deadline.

## Examples

- The heavy storm took a high toll on the local crops.
- The death toll from the earthquake continued to rise as rescue teams reached the remote mountain villages.
- Years of working double shifts eventually took a heavy toll on his physical health and mental well-being, leading to a forced early retirement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.