add
Pronounced:
/ˈæd/
Function:
verbInflected forms:
adds; add·ed; add·ingMeaning:
1 [+ obj] a : to put (something) with another thing or group of things ▪ She's planning to add some new flowers to the garden. ▪ The company is adding over 200 jobs this year. ▪ This winter, he added skiing to his list of favorite sports. b : to mix or combine (an ingredient) with other ingredients ▪ Add (in) a little more salt and pepper. ▪ I added (in) just a dash/pinch of flour. ▪ Add one cup of sugar to the mixture. ▪ Next, add the remaining butter to the pan. c : to include (something) with something else ▪ It took us four hours to get there, if you add (in) the time we stopped to eat.
2 [+ obj] : to cause something to have (a usually good quality or characteristic) ▪ In this dish, fresh herbs add lots of color and flavor. ▪ As an employee, she will add [=bring] great value to your company. ▪ We can help you add excitement to your vacation. ▪ The historical details add depth/richness/weight to his story. ▪ She adds a certain amount of experience and authority to the project.
3 : to put (two or more numbers or amounts) together to find a total or sum [+ obj] ▪ When you add three and/to seven, you get ten. ▪ Add these three numbers together. [no obj] ▪ schoolchildren learning how to add [=to perform addition] and subtract —opposite subtract
4 [+ obj] : to say or write (something more or extra) ▪ That's all I have to say. Do you have anything (else/more) to add? = Is there anything (else/more) you would like to add? ▪ “They all went to the bar,” he said. “But I didn't go with them,” he quickly added. ▪ He was quick to add that he didn't go with them. = He hastened to add that he didn't go with them. ▪ It was a long project and, I might add, an expensive one.
2 [+ obj] : to cause something to have (a usually good quality or characteristic) ▪ In this dish, fresh herbs add lots of color and flavor. ▪ As an employee, she will add [=bring] great value to your company. ▪ We can help you add excitement to your vacation. ▪ The historical details add depth/richness/weight to his story. ▪ She adds a certain amount of experience and authority to the project.
3 : to put (two or more numbers or amounts) together to find a total or sum [+ obj] ▪ When you add three and/to seven, you get ten. ▪ Add these three numbers together. [no obj] ▪ schoolchildren learning how to add [=to perform addition] and subtract —opposite subtract
4 [+ obj] : to say or write (something more or extra) ▪ That's all I have to say. Do you have anything (else/more) to add? = Is there anything (else/more) you would like to add? ▪ “They all went to the bar,” he said. “But I didn't go with them,” he quickly added. ▪ He was quick to add that he didn't go with them. = He hastened to add that he didn't go with them. ▪ It was a long project and, I might add, an expensive one.
add insult to injury —see 2insult
add on [phrasal verb]
add (something) on or add on (something) : to put (something) with another thing or group of things ▪ We're going to add on a new garage. —often + to ▪ We're adding a new garage on to our house. ▪ They're adding $200 on to what we already have to pay. ◊The phrase add on to is also written as add onto. ▪ We're adding a new garage onto our house.
add to [phrasal verb]
add to (something) : to make (something) larger, better, or greater ▪ He bought another rare coin to add to his collection. ▪ Her research has greatly added to our knowledge of the subject. ▪ She's been able to add to her savings [=to save more money] this year. ▪ This movie will add to his fame. [=it will make him more famous] ▪ The loud music added to the confusion. [=it made the confusion greater] ▪ We hope this adds to your enjoyment of the play. ▪ The funny characters really add to the story. [=they make the story better] ◊Phrases like add to this/that and added to this/that are often used informally to introduce a statement about something that makes a thing or situation better, worse, more important, etc. ▪ We were given little time to finish. Add to this the fact that nobody helped us, and you can understand why we were angry. ▪ We were short of money. Added to that, we were lost!
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] b : to make sense : to seem to be logical or true ▪ They must be lying; their story just doesn't add up. 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) 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. 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.
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) 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. 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.
—added adjective ▪ The historical details provide added [=additional] depth/richness/weight to his story. ▪ added value ▪ an added attraction/advantage