amount

amount
/euh mownt"/, n.
1. the sum total of two or more quantities or sums; aggregate.
2. the sum of the principal and interest of a loan.
3. quantity; measure: a great amount of resistance.
4. the full effect, value, or significance.
v.i.
5. to total; add (usually fol. by to): The repair bill amounts to $300.
6. to reach, extend, or be equal in number, quantity, effect, etc.; be equivalent (usually fol. by to): It is stated differently but amounts to the same thing.
7. to develop into; become (usually fol. by to): With his intelligence, he should amount to something when he grows up.
[1250-1300; ME amounten, amunten < AF amo(u)nter, amunter, OF amonter lit., to go up, ascend, prob. a- A-5 + monter (see MOUNT1); E n. use of v. from early 18th cent.]
Usage. The traditional distinction between AMOUNT and NUMBER is that AMOUNT is used with mass or uncountable nouns (the amount of paperwork; the amount of energy) and NUMBER with countable nouns (a number of songs; a number of days). Although objected to, the use of AMOUNT instead of NUMBER with countable nouns occurs in both speech and writing, especially when the noun can be considered as a unit or group (the amount of people present; the amount of weapons) or when it refers to money (the amount of dollars paid; the amount of pennies in the till).

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • amount — I (quantity) noun aggregate, bulk, count, extent, magnitude, mass, measure, measurement, net quantity, number, numeration, strength, substance, sum, summa, total, whole associated concepts: amount of evidence, amount of loss foreign phrases:… …   Law dictionary

  • amount — amount, number Amount is normally used with uncountable nouns (i.e. nouns which have no plural) to mean ‘quantity’ (e.g. a reasonable amount of forgiveness, glue, resistance, straw, etc.), and number with plural nouns (e.g. a certain number of… …   Modern English usage

  • Amount — A*mount , n. 1. The sum total of two or more sums or quantities; the aggregate; the whole quantity; a totality; as, the amount of 7 and 9 is 16; the amount of a bill; the amount of this year s revenue. [1913 Webster] 2. The effect, substance,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • amount — [n1] quantity aplenty, bags*, bulk, bundle, chunk, expanse, extent, flock, gob*, heap, hunk, jillion*, load, lot, magnitude, mass, measure, mess*, mint*, mucho*, number, oodles*, pack, passel, peck, pile, scads*, score, slat*, slew*, supply, ton* …   New thesaurus

  • Amount — A*mount , v. t. To signify; to amount to. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • amount — ► NOUN 1) the total number, size, value, or extent of something. 2) a quantity. ► VERB (amount to) 1) come to be (a total) when added together. 2) be the equivalent of. ORIGIN from Old French amont upward , from Latin a …   English terms dictionary

  • amount — [ə mount′] vi. [ME amounten, to ascend < OFr amonter < amont, upward < a (L ad), to + mont < L montem, acc. sing. of mons, MOUNTAIN] 1. to add up; equal in total [the bill amounts to $4.50] 2. to be equal in meaning, value, or effect… …   English World dictionary

  • Amount — A*mount , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Amounted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Amounting}.] [OF. amonter to increase, advance, ascend, fr. amont (equiv. to L. ad montem to the mountain) upward, F. amont up the river. See {Mount}, n.] 1. To go up; to ascend. [Obs.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • amount to — index aggregate, comprise, consist, reach Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • amount to — (something) to be the same as something else. A decrease in student aid amounts to an increase in tuition fees. She thought he was wrong to take what amounts to a stand against greater freedom. Related vocabulary: add up to something …   New idioms dictionary

  • amount — n *sum, total, quantity, number, aggregate, whole …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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