not add up

1. To not amount to the expected or presumed total through addition. These numbers just aren't adding up—I think I made a mistake somewhere. A: "What's wrong?" B: "The waiter gave us our bill, but it doesn't add up. It's like they charged us for an extra person's meal."

2. To not be plausible, logical, or believable. I listened to Jill's explanation, but I'm still skeptical—something just doesn't add up. The detective was not convinced that the suspect they apprehended was the true culprit. Something about the evidence wasn't adding up.

See also: add, not, up

See also:

in the vicinity (of something)
not set foot somewhere
somewhere along the line
somewhere, etc. along/down the line
somewhere between
call to mind
bring/call somebody/something to mind
be considered armed and dangerous
plot thickens, the
thicken

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