Totes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

  1. An informal term expressing total agreement or affirmation, often used in a playful or exaggerated context
  2. A casual expression denoting enthusiasm or strong approval, frequently employed in modern slang
  3. A contemporary colloquialism that conveys certainty or acceptance, typically seen in conversations among younger speakers

Etymology: "Totes" is a clipping of "totally," shortened and then given the hypocoristic -s ending, the same affectionate suffix found in words like "hols" for holidays or "ciggies" for cigarettes. The result is a snappy one-word stand-in for "totally agreed," which is how it is typically used: a quick, emphatic yes to something someone has just said. The -s ending does the work of making the clipped form sound casual and friendly rather than merely abbreviated. Dropping the "-ally" and adding "-es" turns a stock adverb into a word that sounds like it belongs to an excited conversation between friends, which suits its playful, exaggerated tone.

Synonyms: carry, transport

Antonyms: drop, leave