amount to (redirected from amount to something)

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

---

amount to something

to be the same as something else A decrease in student aid amounts to an increase in tuition fees. She thought he was wrong to take what amounts to a stand against greater freedom.

Related vocabulary: add up to something

See also: amount