add up
add up
add up [ phrasal verb ]
1 a : to be added together and equal the expected or correct total
— usually used in negative constructions
The numbers just don't add up. [=they don't equal the expected total]
1 b : to make sense : to seem to be logical or true
They must be lying; their story just doesn't add up.
1 c : to slowly increase and become a large number or amount
A cup of coffee may only cost a dollar, but those dollars add up quickly.
I'm saving a little money each month. Eventually it'll add up.
The hours that I spend traveling to work really add up.
2 add (something) up or add up (something) : to put together or count (the number or amount of something) to find the total
Start by adding up how much money you have, and then add up your costs.
Let's add up all of the money we saved.
When you add it all up, he's spent over half of his life in jail.
3 add up to (something)
3 a : to have (a number) as a total
The amount of money she spends on coffee adds up to $2.75 a day.
That adds up to more than a thousand dollars a year.
3 b : to produce (a specified result)
These plans should add up to a very exciting vacation.
With these three bands playing together, it all adds up to one of the year's best rock concerts.
All of the team's hard work didn't add up to a win.
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Main Entry: add
