tally

Clipping of tallyho.

• IPA^(key): /ˈtæli/

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• Hyphenation: tally
• Rhymes: -æli

tally

1. (radio, aviation) Target sighted.

   (Air Traffic Control): Speedbird 123, New York, traffic at two o’clock, seven miles, a Boeing 737, west-bound, at 4000 feet.”

   (Pilot): New York, Speedbird 123, tally.

In aviation radio usage, more common than original tallyho. In civilian aviation usage, the official term for “traffic sighted” is “traffic in sight”.[1]

• (target sighted): tallyho

From Middle English talie, from Anglo-Norman tallie and Old French taille (“notch in a piece of wood signifying a debt”), from Medieval Latin tallia, from Latin talea (“a cutting, rod, stick”).

tally (plural tallies)

1. Originally, a piece of wood on which notches or scores were cut, as the marks of number
2. Later, one of two books, sheets of paper, etc., on which corresponding accounts were kept.
3. Hence, any account or score kept by notches or marks, whether on wood or paper, or in a book, especially one kept in duplicate.
   • 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC‎:

     Bulgaria, inevitably, raised the tempo in the opening moments of the second half and keeper Joe Hart was forced into his first meaningful action to block a deflected corner - but England were soon threatening to add to their goal tally.

4. One thing made to suit another; a match; a mate.
   • c. 1690, John Dryden, Don Sebastian, Act V, scene 1:

     So paired, so suited in their minds and persons,

     That they were framed the tallies for each other.

5. A notch, mark, or score made on or in a tally; as, to make or earn a score or tally in a game.
6. A tally shop.
7. A ribbon on a sailor's cap bearing the name of the ship or the (part of) the navy to which they belong.
8. (informal, regional, dated) A state of cohabitation, living with another individual in an intimate relationship outside of marriage.
   • 1884, Ben Bierley, “Treadlepin Fold”, in Tales and Sketches of Lancashire Life‎, page 47:

     But I’d advise thee t’ live tally for o that, if thou con mak it reet wi’ some owd damsel, ut does no’ care what folk say’n about owt o’th’sort.

   • 1890, F.C. Birkbeck Terry, “Tally-woman”, in Notes and Queries‎, page 297:

     It is used in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, and, I dare say, various other counties. A tally-woman is the mistress of a married man, who is said to live tally with her.

   • 2012, Ruth Hamilton, Lights of Liverpool:

     Don, I don't care if we live tally, cos we don't need certificates except for proof of insanity.

• Five-bar gate tally‎

From Middle English talien, from the noun (see above).

tally (third-person singular simple present tallies, present participle tallying, simple past and past participle tallied)

1. (transitive) To count something.
2. (transitive) To record something by making marks.
3. (transitive) To make things correspond or agree with each other.
   • 1822, Alexander Pope, quoting Jonathon Swift, “Letter IV. From Dr. Swift to Mr. Pope. August 30, 1716”, in The Works of Alexander Pope, volume 9, with notes by Joseph Warton, page 11:

     I am sorry to find they are not so well tallied to the present juncture as I could wish.

4. (intransitive) To keep score.
5. (intransitive) To correspond or agree.
   • 1767 [1705], Joseph Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy &c. In the Years 1701, 1702, 1703‎, page 138:

     In some I found pieces of tiles that exactly tallied with the channel, and in others a little wall of bricks

   • 1764, April 5, Horace Walpole, Letter to the Earl of Hertford:

     Your idea, my dear lord, of the abusive paragraph on you being conceived at Paris, and transmitted hither, tallies exactly with mine.

6. (nautical) To check off, as parcels of freight going inboard or outboard.
   • 1873 August, William Mitchell, “Shipping and mercantile gazette correspondence”, in The Nautical Magazine‎, page 697:

     I loaded a cargo of potatoes in Dublin, for Bangor and Caernarvon, all in bags, for three different parties—viz. 13 tons delivered at Bangor, which was tallied in and out; remainder to Caernarvon, and was not tallied in, but tallied out.

• tally up

From Middle English tally, talliche, equivalent to tall +‎ -ly.

tally (comparative more tally, superlative most tally)

1. (obsolete) In a tall way; stoutly; with spirit.
   • c. 1612, Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, The Captain, Act II, scene ii:

     And you, Lodovick, / That stand so tally on your reputation, / You shall be he shall speak it.

• tally in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• tally at OneLook Dictionary Search