Tote
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "tote" means to carry or haul something. It’s one of the most recognizable regional verbs, often used where others would simply say "carry."
Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you're out in the country, you'll hear people use 'tote' for carryin' all the time. Hillbilly Dude Says...
If you're out in the country, you'll hear people use 'tote' for carryin' all the time. Pronunciation
[TOHT]
Meaning & Usage
- To carry or haul (verb, regional use)
Mae:
What you doin’?
What you doin’?
Earl:
Just totin’ in firewood.
Just totin’ in firewood.- A load being carried (noun, less common)
Mae:
That’s a big tote of hay you’re haulin’.
That’s a big tote of hay you’re haulin’.variations: carry, haul, lug, fetch (sometimes), tote that barge, tote a load, tote groceries
★ "Tote" isn’t slang to Southerners - it’s just the everyday word for "carry." Outsiders often notice it as one of the clearest markers of Southern/Appalachian speech. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Middle English "toten," meaning to carry or drag. Survived in Southern/Appalachian English after fading in most other dialects. The phrase "tote that barge, lift that bale" (1927 *Show Boat*) kept it alive in national memory.
Usage Notes
Still one of the strongest dialect markers today. Southerners don’t think twice about it, but outsiders immediately notice when someone says "tote" instead of "carry."
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "tote." Simple, one syllable.