To provide a brief summary or conclusion; to present the main points or final thoughts about a topic in a condensed form.
This phrase emerged in the 16th century from mathematical terminology, where 'sum' referred to the total result of addition. The expression extends this numerical concept to ideas and arguments, treating conclusions as the mathematical total of all preceding points.
This phrase reveals our deep-seated need to impose mathematical order on messy human communication - we instinctively want to 'add up' our thoughts and present a clean total. It's fascinating how this mathematical metaphor has become so natural that we rarely notice we're treating ideas like numbers that can be calculated.
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