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sum

noun · verb US /sʌm/

a quantity of money

How often you will meet it

Rank 1,728 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 10,532 times across 175,112 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.

What it means

noun

  1. a quantity of money also: sum of money, amount, amount of money he borrowed a large sumthe amount he had in cash was insufficient
  2. a quantity obtained by the addition of a group of numbers also: amount, total
  3. the final aggregate also: summation, sum total the sum of all our troubles did not equal the misery they suffered
  4. the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience also: kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence the gist of the prosecutor's argumentthe heart and soul of the Republican Party
  5. the whole amount also: total, totality, aggregate
  6. a set containing all and only the members of two or more given sets also: union, join let C be the union of the sets A and B

verb

  1. be a summary of also: summarize, summarise, sum up The abstract summarizes the main ideas in the paper
  2. determine the sum of also: total, tot, tot up, sum up, summate, tote up Add all the people in this town to those of the neighboring town

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary · Princeton WordNet 3.1

sum in real books

Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.

  • But was subsequently ransomed for a large sum.

    The pirates own book · Charles Ellms · Chapter 1

  • He did not want the trifling sum that every New York policeman acquires.

    The Intrusion of Jimmy · P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse · Chapter 1

  • A lawyer--also in the city--paid her a small sum quarterly--enough to dress on, and for minor expenses.

    Back to Billabong · Mary Grant Bruce · Chapter 1

  • Having counted this sum, the commissary offered it to Mme. Favoral, saying, “This belongs to you madame.”

    Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1

  • This sum he at once resigned to his associates, on condition that they should defray from it his personal liabilities.

    Lucretia — Volume 06 · Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton · Chapter 1

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