totting

British

/ ˈtɒtɪŋ /

noun

the practice of searching through rubbish for usable or saleable items

"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

Etymology

Origin of totting

C19: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The season-by-season improvement so far means Arsenal have gone from totting up just 56 points in 2019-20 to posting 89 points last season.

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2024

We might worry about the quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases totting up in the atmosphere, or feel increasingly nervous about tiny, naked-to-the-eye particles of pollution, especially in car-choked cities.

From Slate • Dec. 20, 2021

Their own insularity prevents no one in this book from totting up the ethical and empathic deficits of others.

From New York Times • Oct. 1, 2019

Cambridge-born Harvey Bassett’s cult points started totting up during a stint as drummer for the John Peel-endorsed post-punk band Ersatz.

From The Guardian • Jul. 26, 2014

Lady Linlithgow sat, totting up her figures, but said nothing.

From The Eustace Diamonds by Trollope, Anthony

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023