amount to

1. To become successful or significant. Almost always used in the phrases "amount to anything" or "amount to something," which both mean the same thing. He got arrested so much as a teenager that I never thought he would amount to anything, but look at him now—he's an accomplished musician! When will this play amount to something? It has yet to get one positive review! A: "Any new evidence?" B: "Nope. Unfortunately, that tip didn't amount to anything."

2. To be equated with or judged the same as something else. Copying another person's words like this amounts to plagiarism, Susie, and I have to report it to the dean. You know what all these half-truths amount to, Jon? Lies. In a court of law, actions like these amount to treason, I hope you know that.

3. proverb To be a certain total. My tips this week only amount to $40. The flights amount to about $800 round trip.

See also: amount, to

amount to something

1. Lit. [for someone or something] to become worthwhile or successful. I hope Charles amounts to something some day. I doubt that this business will ever amount to anything really profitable.

2. Fig. [for something] to be the equivalent of something. Why, doing this amounts to cheating! Your comments amount to treason.

3. and amount (up) to something [for a sum of money] to increase [to a large amount]. Is that everything you want to buy? That amounts to twenty dollars. These charges amount up to a lot.

See also: amount, to

amount to

1. Add up, develop into, as in Even though she's careful with her money, her savings don't amount to much, or All parents hope that their children will amount to something. [Mid-1500s]

2. Be equivalent to, as in Twenty persons won't amount to a good turnout. [Late 1300s] Also see amount to the same thing.

See also: amount, to

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

amount to

1. To add up to some number or quantity: I forgot to return the DVD on time, and the late charges amounted to almost $25.

2. To be understood as something: Your behavior amounts to an insult.

3. To be as important or valuable as some level of quality: They never thought I'd amount to anything, but look at me now! The facts I have so far don't amount to much. My parents never thought I'd amount to as much as my sister.

See also: amount, to

See also:

References in classic literature ?

It is said that duties may be laid upon the publications so high as to amount to a prohibition.

View in context

Where a payment for an item is includible in income, allow the amount to be deducted by the payor, subject to the application of paragraph 18(1)(a).

Legislative proposals relating to the treatment of restrictive covenants: February 10, 2006

419 and 419A, an employer's deductible costs are limited to the "qualified direct cost" of the benefit(s) provided, a limited extra amount to fund incurred but unpaid claims, and a reserve for retiree benefits, reduced by any after-tax income the trust earned.

Is a single-employer welfare benefit plan appropriate for a small business?

In the event of a shortfall in funds otherwise available to pay for claims under the policy block, the ceding insurer draws under the letter of credit the shortfall amount to pay for the claims.

In reserve: Triple-X securitization represents an emerging class of structured products for life insurers

Regarding indefinite-lived intangibles, the international rule compares the intangible's carrying amount to its recoverable amount, as defined above.

Convergence: hurdles remain; With convergence a necessity in a global economy, it is likely to be some time before all are 'singing from the same song sheet'--and it will take time and commitment for standard setters to work together to remove differences

However, an individual can reimburse the employer for the specified amount to allow deductibility.

Maximizing the deduction for personal use of an aircraft

In such a situation, a new process for compiling book expense would need to be implemented to capture the amount to be reported for tax adjustments relating to accrued liabilities reported on line 31 of the proposed Schedule.

TEI comments on proposed Schedule M-3 of Form 1120: June 7, 2004

shareholder and FC1 became a CFC in 2001, USP would still be required to allocate any excess distribution amount to years in which FC1 was a CFC.

PFIC deferred tax amount: timing is everything

For an amount to be "taken into account," the employer must pay the applicable FICA tax.

Proposed Section 3121(v) regulations: application of employment taxes to nonqualified deferred compensation

74-252 and the earlier rulings was that the amount to be received on cancellation was negotiated ahead of time.

Allocating settlement proceeds in employment cases

If an allowance is included in the employee's T4 as income (i.e., those amounts set out in box 8 of the T2200), then it would not be deducted on line 8 of Form GST- 370E; the amount to be deducted on line 8 of Form GST-370E would be the amount in box 7 of the T2200 less the amount, if any, in box 8 of the T2200.

Proposed changes to Canadian Excise Tax Act

Trust B is to pay a portion of the unitrust amount to C each month.

CRTs--using a trust beneficiary

Interest under the old methods and rates was to be computed through December 31, 1982, and then all tax, assessed penalty or addition to the tax, and all interest (whether or not assessed) was to be added together to determine the amount to be carried over on which daily interest would be charged under the compounding rules.

Interest on federal tax deficiencies and overpayments

465, the amounts borrowed can be used for an activity in calculating the at-risk amount to the extent that the taxpayer is personally liable for the repayment of such amount or has pledged assets not used in the activity as security for the borrowed amount.

At-risk rules and LLCs

For example, an IRA owner whose tax year-end is December 31 and who converts an amount to a Roth IRA in 2000 and then transfers the amount back to a traditional IRA on Jan.