释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024a•mount /əˈmaʊnt/USA pronunciation n. [countable]- the sum total of two or more quantities or sums;
whole:the final amount that we actually pay for this car. - quantity;
measure: [~ + of + uncountable noun]We met a great amount of resistance to the plan.[~ + of + plural noun]Huge amounts of crops lay unharvested. v. [~ + to + object* not: be + ~-ing] - to total;
add up to:The bill amounts to $300. - to be equal in value, effect, or extent;
be worth; mean:All those fine words amount to nothing. - to turn into;
become:a bright student who should amount to something one day.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024a•mount (ə mount′),USA pronunciation n. - the sum total of two or more quantities or sums;
aggregate. - the sum of the principal and interest of a loan.
- quantity;
measure:a great amount of resistance. - the full effect, value, or significance.
v.i. - to total;
add (usually fol. by to):The repair bill amounts to $300. - 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. - to develop into;
become (usually fol. by to):With his intelligence, he should amount to something when he grows up.
- Anglo-French amo(u)nter, amunter, Old French amonter literally, to go up, ascend, probably a- a-5 + monter (see mount1); English noun, nominal use of verb, verbal from early 18th cent.
- Middle English amounten, amunten 1250–1300
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). Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: amount /əˈmaʊnt/ n - extent; quantity; supply
- the total of two or more quantities; sum
- the full value, effect, or significance of something
- a principal sum plus the interest on it, as in a loan
vb - (intransitive) usually followed by to: to be equal or add up in effect, meaning, or quantity
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French amonter to go up, from amont upwards, from a to + mont mountain (from Latin mōns)USAGE The use of a plural noun after amount of (an amount of bananas; the amount of refugees) should be avoided: a quantity of bananas; the number of refugees |