tax

¹

[ taks ]

noun

1. a sum of money demanded by a government for its support or for specific facilities or services, levied upon incomes, property, sales, etc.

   Synonyms: levy, impost, duty

2. a burdensome charge, obligation, duty, or demand.

verb (used with object)

1. (of a government)
   1. to demand a tax from (a person, business, etc.).
   2. to demand a tax in consideration of the possession or occurrence of (income, goods, sales, etc.), usually in proportion to the value of money involved.
2. to lay a burden on; make serious demands on:

   to tax one's resources.

   Synonyms: stretch, tire, strain

3. to take to task; censure; reprove; accuse:

   to tax one with laziness.

4. Informal. to charge:

   What did he tax you for that?

5. Archaic. to estimate or determine the amount or value of.

verb (used without object)

1. to levy taxes.

tax-

²

1. variant of taxo- before a vowel:

   taxeme.

tax

/ tæks /

noun

1. a compulsory financial contribution imposed by a government to raise revenue, levied on the income or property of persons or organizations, on the production costs or sales prices of goods and services, etc
2. a heavy demand on something; strain

   a tax on our resources

verb

1. to levy a tax on (persons, companies, etc, or their incomes, etc)
2. to make heavy demands on; strain

   to tax one's intellect

3. to accuse, charge, or blame

   he was taxed with the crime

4. to determine (the amount legally chargeable or allowable to a party to a legal action), as by examining the solicitor's bill of costs

   to tax costs

5. slang.
   to steal

Derived Forms

• ˈtaxless, adjective
• ˈtaxer, noun

Other Words From

• taxer noun
• taxing·ly adverb
• taxless adjective
• taxless·ly adverb
• taxless·ness noun
• anti·tax adjective
• non·tax noun adjective
• non·taxer noun
• pro·tax adjective
• re·tax verb (used with object)
• self-taxed adjective
• sub·taxer noun
• under·taxed adjective
• un·tax verb (used with object)
• well-taxed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tax¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English taxen, from Medieval Latin taxāre, from Latin: “to appraise, charge, estimate,” literally, “to touch repeatedly,” from tangere “to touch”; noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of tax¹

C13: from Old French taxer, from Latin taxāre to appraise, from tangere to touch

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with tax , also see death and taxes .

Example Sentences

The annual event comes as the government also faces criticism from businesses for holding back growth through tax raises, which Reeves has said are necessary to "properly fund" public services.

From BBC

During Thursday's programme, which marked Morgan's first 100 days leading the Welsh government, the first minister also called for farmers to "calm down a bit" over changes to inheritance tax.

From BBC

Los Angeles County got a gift from voters: They passed Measure A, a half-cent-per-dollar sales tax that will provide a billion dollars a year for services and housing for homeless people.

From Los Angeles Times

But they will probably expect measurable progress in the near future, especially given that this is the second tax measure county voters have passed for the purpose.

From Los Angeles Times

The first was 2017’s Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax now repealed and replaced by Measure A, which will generate twice the funds.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• contribution
• cost
• duty
• expense
• fine
• levy
• price
• rate
• tariff