Tot-book = a book containing examples for practice; the tote (or the whole tote) = all, everything; to tote fair = to reckon accurately: hence (South and Western American) = to act honestly; to play the game (q.v.).
1766. Brooke, Fool of Quality, ii. 211. These totted together will make a pretty beginning of my little project.
[?]. Thackeray [Century]. 'A Night's Pleasure.' Seventeen hundred and twenty-five goes of alcohol in a year, we totted it up one night at the bar. Ibid. (1860-3), Roundabout Papers, xix. The last two tot up the bill.
1852. Savage, R. Medlicott (1864), iii. ii. 'One thousand eight hundred,' said Hyacinth, totting his entries.
18[?]. Chicago Tribune [Bartlett]. The predicament [of assassination] in Texas can be avoided by always 'toting fair' with everybody. Indeed, if you tote fair, you need tote no weapons; that is, you can go unarmed.
1895. Notes and Queries, 2 S. viii. 338. I have frequently heard in Lincolnshire the phrase, 'Come, tote it up, and tell me what it comes to.'
1896. Athenæum, No. 3268, 757. Graduated Exercises in Addition (Tots and Cross Tots, Simple and Compound).
Tote, subs. (common).—A teetotaller: also (in sarcasm, with a glance at tot = to drink drams) = a hard drinker.
c. 1870. Music Hall Song; 'Hasn't got over it yet.' As well we'd another old chum, By all of his mates called the Tote, So named on account of the rum He constantly put down his throat.
c. 1889. Music Hall Song, 'Toper and Tote.' You'll always find the sober Tote With a few pounds at command.
See Tot.
Verb. (American).—To carry; to bear a burden; to endure. Hence tote-load = as much as one can carry; tote-road = a road or track.
18[?]. Negro Melody, 'Come back, Massa' [Bartlett]. De 'possum and de coon are as sassy as you please, Since all de blooded dogs were toted off by fleas; De measles toted off all de cunnin' little nigs, An' de sojers ob de army hab toted off de pigs.
18[?]. Old Negro Song [Bartlett]. Dey say fetch an' tote 'stead of bring and carry, An' dat dey call grammar!—by de Lawd Harry.
18[?]. Pickings from the Picayune, 120. The watchman arrested Mr. Wimple for disturbing the peace, and toted him off to the calaboose.
18[?]. Chronicles of Pineville, 169. My gun here totes fifteen buckshot and a ball, and slings 'em to kill.
1843. Carlton, New Purchase, 1. 167. Here a boy was ferociously cutting wood—there one toting wood.
1844. Major Jones's Courtship, 39. The militia had everlastin' great long swords as much as they could tote. Major Jones's Travels. I could never bear to see a white gall toatin' my child about, and waitin' on me like a nigger: it would hurt my conscience.
c. 1869. Donnely, Speech in Congress [S.J. and C.]. I cannot think Mr. Ulysses S. Grant will degenerate into a kind of hand-organ to be toted around on the back of a gentleman from Illinois.
1870. Science, xi. 242. I should also like to know how much a man can tote, how much a woman can tote, and how long a time, without resting, the toting may go on.
1873. Trans. Am. Philol. Soc., xiii. 211. His report of his having induced the aristocratic Navajos to tote his luggage was received from the mouth of Gen'l Kane with a good-natured amused derision.
1879. Scribner's Mag., viii. 496. Its forests are still so unbroken by any highways save the streams and the rough tote-roads of the lumber-crews that this region cannot become populous with visitors.
1884. Clemens, Huck. Finn. I toted up a load, and went back and sat down on the bow of the skiff to rest.
1885. Century Mag., xl. 224. The bullies used to . . . make them tote more than their share of the log.
