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definitions

tote

1
[toht]
verb (used with object), tot·ed, tot·ing.
  1. to carry, as on one's back or in one's arms: to tote a bundle.
  2. to carry on one's person: to tote a gun.
  3. to transport or convey, as on a vehicle or boat.
noun
  1. the act or course of toting.
  2. something that is toted.
  3. tote bag.

Origin of tote

1
An Americanism dating back to 1670–80; origin uncertain
Related formstot·a·ble, tote·a·ble, adjectivetot·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for toter

tote

verb
  1. (tr) to carry, convey, or drag
noun
  1. the act of or an instance of toting
  2. something toted
Derived Formstoter, noun

Word Origin for tote

C17: of obscure origin

Tote

noun
  1. the Tote (sometimes not capital) trademark short for totalizator (def. 1), totalizator (def. 2)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for toter

tote

v.

"to carry," 1670s, of unknown origin; originally attested in Virginia, but OED discounts the popular theory of its origin in a W.African language (cf. Kikongo tota "pick up," Kimbundu tuta "carry, load," related to Swahili tuta "pile up, carry"). Related: Toted; toting. Tote bag is first recorded 1900.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper