Definition

A building next to a tollgate where a person collects fees from travelers using a road or bridge.

Example

The tollhouse was busy as many cars stopped to pay their fees.

Conversation

Have you ever seen that old tollhouse on the way to the lake?

Yeah, I remember it! It looks like it hasn't been used in years.

I wonder what it was like when it was a busy tollhouse.

Probably a lot of travelers passing through back then!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Tollhouse is formed from "toll" (from Old English *toll*, meaning a payment or fee) and "house" (from Old English *hus*, meaning a dwelling or shelter). A tollhouse is a building where payments or fees are collected, typically for the use of a road or bridge.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'payment' ('toll') being collected at a 'shelter' ('house') — that's what a tollhouse is, a place where you pay to use a road.

Visually Confused Words