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toll taker

toll taker

1 4.4
A person who collects money from drivers at a toll booth
  • noun
  • /toʊl ˈteɪkər/
translation icon : cobrador de peaje
  • As a toll taker, she collects fees from drivers at the entrance to the bridge every day.

Examples

  • By night, you'll be hitting the sheriff's couriers, toll takers, tax collectors.

  • The toll taker waved at each passing car while collecting the tolls on the busy highway.

  • He works as a toll taker, ensuring that every vehicle pays to use the toll road.

Synonyms

toll collector
vstoll taker
1 3.1

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

is a different informal phrasing for the same payment job
tollman
vstoll taker
  • Archaic
1 8.0

A man who collects money from drivers at a toll gate

is the neutral job term used for the same role
tollkeeper
vstoll taker
  • Archaic
1 8.7

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

is the general pay-collection term rather than the gate-specific role
tollwoman
vstoll taker
  • Archaic
8.1

A woman who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

is the neutral job term used for the same role
toll agent
vstoll taker
4.9

A person who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

is the everyday job name rather than this formal label
tollgatherer
vstoll taker
  • Archaic
9.9

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

is the standard term, not the especially located payment role
toller
vstoll taker
  • UK
9.9

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

is the usual modern job name, not this uncommon label

Surface Forms

toll taker singular
toll takers plural

Morphology

toll + taker

The meaning 'a person who collects tolls' is directly derived from the known words 'toll' (a road fee) and 'taker' (one who takes), following a regular agentive noun composition. This is a transparent, productive pattern (compare 'ticket taker', 'money taker'/'collector') and is likely immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Toll taker The noun toll taker comes from the old, literal job of taking a toll (a small payment) — the taker was the person who collected it at a road or bridge. Picture a person in a small booth reaching out to take coins from drivers; that image explains why it means 'a person who collects the fee' today.