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toll collector

toll collector

1 3.1
A person who takes money from drivers at a road or bridge
  • noun
  • /toʊl kəˈlɛktər/
translation icon : cobrador de peaje
  • While driving over the bridge, I handed my payment to the toll collector waiting in the booth.

Examples

  • Not to imply that it's any more important than, say, a baker or a toll collector.

  • Working as a toll collector on the Mass Pike, Allston Exit, I had lots of time to think.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The toll collector greeted each driver with a friendly smile as they paid their fee.

  • At the toll plaza, the toll collector efficiently processed the vehicles to keep traffic moving.

Synonyms

toll taker
vstoll collector
1 4.4

A person who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

is the neutral general word for anyone doing that job
tollkeeper
vstoll collector
  • Archaic
1 8.7

A person who collects money from people using a road, bridge, or gate

is used for the same job but without implying gate control
tollman
vstoll collector
  • Archaic
1 8.0

A man who collects money from drivers at a toll gate

is gender neutral and applies to any person in the role
tollgatherer
vstoll collector
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who takes money from people using a road, bridge or ferry

focuses on drivers specifically rather than including passengers
toll agent
vstoll collector
4.9

A person who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

is the broad term for the job without stressing employment status
tollwoman
vstoll collector
  • Archaic
8.1

A woman who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

is gender neutral and applies to any person in the role
toller
vstoll collector
  • UK
9.9

A person who collects money from drivers at a bridge or road

is the current, more common way to name the same job

Surface Forms

Morphology

toll + collector

The meaning is directly compositional: 'toll' (a fee for road/bridge use) + 'collector' (a person who collects money) yields 'a person who collects tolls.' This noun compound follows a productive, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The name toll collector shows the job: a collector who takes a toll — 'a small fee' — from drivers at a road or bridge booth. That's why it means 'a person whose job is to collect money from drivers'.