Etymology From Middle English talie, from Anglo-Norman tallie and Old French taille (“notch in a piece of wood signifying a debt”), from Medieval Latin tallia, from Latin talea (“a cutting, rod, stick”). Doublet of taille and talea.
Broadly One of two books, sheets of paper, etc., on which corresponding accounts were kept.
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Broadly Any account or score kept by notches or marks, whether on wood or paper, or in a book, especially one kept in duplicate.
Bulgaria, inevitably, raised the tempo in the opening moments of the second half and keeper Joe Hart was forced into his first meaningful action to block a deflected corner - but England were soon threatening to add to their goal tally.2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC:
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Archaic One thing made to suit another; a counterpart or match.
So paired, so suited in their minds and persons, That they were framed the tallies for each other.c. 1690, John Dryden, Don Sebastian, Act V, scene 1:
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A notch, mark, or score made on or in a tally; as, to make or earn a score or tally in a game.
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A tally shop.
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A ribbon on a sailor's cap bearing the name of the ship or the (part of) the navy to which they belong.
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Dated, Informal, Regional A state of cohabitation, living with another individual in an intimate relationship outside of marriage.
But I’d advise thee t’ live tally for o that, if thou con mak it reet wi’ some owd damsel, ut does no’ care what folk say’n about owt o’th’sort.1884, Ben Bierley, “Treadlepin Fold”, in Tales and Sketches of Lancashire Life, page 47:
It is used in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, and, I dare say, various other counties. A tally-woman is the mistress of a married man, who is said to live tally with her.1890, F.C. Birkbeck Terry, “Tally-woman”, in Notes and Queries, page 297:
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Don, I don't care if we live tally, cos we don't need certificates except for proof of insanity.2012, Ruth Hamilton, Lights of Liverpool:
Then turnips isn't such good sale yet, but they may be soon, for winter's best for them. […] I buy turnips by the 'tally.' A tally's five dozen bunches.1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor:
A bunch of Turnips, 12 and upwards. A bunch of Leeks, 6 and upwards. Bunches of Greens and of herbs vary much, according to kind, size, and season. Roll of Celery = 6, 8, to 12 heads. A tally = five dozen.1890, Gardeners' Chronicle, volume 7, page 15:
The counter tallied the languages people were conversing in while walking along a set route that wove back and forth through the chairs and tables.2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 4:
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To make things correspond or agree with each other.
I am sorry to find they are not so well tallied to the present juncture as I could wish.1822, Alexander Pope, quoting Jonathon Swift, “Letter IV. From Dr. Swift to Mr. Pope. August 30, 1716”, in The Works of Alexander Pope, volume 9, with notes by Joseph Warton, page 11:
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To keep score.
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To correspond or agree.
In some I found pieces of tiles that exactly tallied with the channel, and in others a little wall of bricks1767 [1705], Joseph Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy &c. In the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, page 138:
Your idea, my dear lord, of the abusive paragraph on you being conceived at Paris, and transmitted hither, tallies exactly with mine.1764 April 5, Horace Walpole, Letter to the Earl of Hertford:
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This credulity will not be challenged here; yet it may be remarked that, assuming the unlimited and unvarying benevolence of the powerful planners, our analysis shows that it may be impossible for them ever to find out whether the results of their measures tally with their good intentions.1957, Karl Popper, chapter 24, in The Poverty of Historicism, FIRST HARPER TORCH BOOK edition, page 91:
However, one abiding weakness with such data collection is that people’s beliefs about their speech habits may not necessarily tally with reality.2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 9:
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Nautical, Transport To check off, as parcels of freight going inboard or outboard.
I loaded a cargo of potatoes in Dublin, for Bangor and Caernarvon, all in bags, for three different parties—viz. 13 tons delivered at Bangor, which was tallied in and out; remainder to Caernarvon, and was not tallied in, but tallied out.1873 August, William Mitchell, “Shipping and mercantile gazette correspondence”, in The Nautical Magazine, page 697:
And you, Lodovick, / That stand so tally on your reputation, / You shall be he shall speak it.c. 1612, Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, The Captain, Act II, scene ii: