1) 这个名词最原本的意义是“（交通通讯）收取的费用”，特别是一些公路的“过路费”或是打电话的费用。例如：美国一些中间有收费站的公路，叫做 toll road；收费的隧道，叫做 toll tunnel；许多公私单位，都有从外面免费打进去的电话号码 (toll-free number)。

• You must pay a toll when you cross the bridge.过桥要缴费。
• How much is the toll to Paris?打到巴黎的长途电话收多少钱？

2) 但是 toll 在报章杂志上用得十分频繁的另一个意义是“损害”、“代价”（常采取 take a toll on 的搭配），包括范围可以很广，从生命财产到学业成绩都在其内，而且往往指意外事故或军事行动造成的死伤。

• last week's traffic toll上周交通事故的死伤人数
• The Easter holidays took a heavy toll.复活节期间（因交通事故）死伤多人。
• The train crash took a heavy toll.火车碰撞死伤多人。

但也可以指较轻的损害。

• The climate took a toll on his health.气候损害了他的健康。
• Her illness took a toll on her family.她一害病，全家都受累。
• Frequent move took a toll on children's performance.经常搬家影响了孩子的成绩。
• All those sleepless nights will take their toll.这么多天没睡觉，会出问题的。