n. & v.
n. (pl. -ies) 1 the reckoning of a debt or score. 2 a total score or amount. 3 a a mark registering a fixed number of objects delivered or received. b such a number as a unit. 4 hist. a a piece of wood scored across with notches for the items of an account and then split into halves, each party keeping one. b an account kept in this way. 5 a ticket or label for identification. 6 a corresponding thing, counterpart, or duplicate.
v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. by with) 1 intr. agree or correspond. 2 tr. record or reckon by tally. tally clerk an official who keeps a tally of goods, esp. those loaded or unloaded in docks. tally sheet a paper on which a tally is kept. tally system a system of sale on short credit or instalments with an account kept by tally. tallier n.
[ ME f. AF tallie, AL tallia, talia f. L talea: cf. TAIL(2) ]