Meaning of total In English

• 0 the amount you get when several smaller amounts are added together:

  • At that time of day, cars with only one occupant accounted for almost 80 percent of the total.

  • A total of 21 horses were entered in the race.

  • We made $1,000 in total, over three days of trading.

• 1 including everything:

  • the total cost

  • Total losses were $800.

• 2 very great or of the largest degree possible:

  • total secrecy

  • a total disregard for their feelings

  • total silence

  • The organization of the event was a total shambles (= very bad).

  • The collapse, when it came, was total.

• 3 to have as a complete amount, or to calculate this:

  • This is the eighth volume in the series, which totals 21 volumes in all.

  • We totalled (up) the money we had each earned, and then shared it equally between the three of us.

• 4 to damage a vehicle so badly that it cannot be repaired:

  • His son totaled the pickup when it was ten months old.

  • The company hasn't just jeopardized its brand; it may have totaled it.

• 5 the whole amount:

  • Add these up and give me the total.

  • We paid a total of $473.

  • Last week 45 people in total came to the senior center.

• 6 complete or extreme:

  • Negotiations had to be held in total secrecy.

• 7 including the whole amount:

  • Total grain exports have increased.

• 8 to destroy something completely:

  • She didn’t total the car, but she did a lot of damage.

• 9 to have as a whole amount, or to calculate this:

  • This history series totals twelve volumes in all.

• 10 the amount or number that you get when several smaller amounts are added together:

  • a total of $20/£1,000/€3m, etc. We calculated all costs to the company and came to a total of $5,500.

  • We employ 534 staff in total.

  • We have a large workforce with women representing 30% of the total.

• 11 including everything in a calculation or every person in a group:

  • total cost/expense These figures show the total cost of the project including staff salaries.

  • total gains/losses Can you give us an idea of our total losses?

  • The UK All Companies performance category averaged an 18.1% total return over the year.

  • Women represent a very small percentage of our total workforce.

• 12 complete or very great:

  • The project was a total disaster.

  • The audience listened in total silence.

• 13 to add up to a particular amount:

  • The annual salary bill totals more than $3 million.

  • They incurred losses totalling over $2 million.

• 14 to add up amounts to get a final number:

  • All costs have been totaled at the bottom of the column.

  • When they totalled up their losses, they realised they could not continue in business.

• 15 to destroy a car in an accident:

  • They will pay the full cost to buy a new car if you total your car within the first year.