overtax

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to make excessive demands on a person's strength, attention, or resources

   The long journey overtaxed his strength and forced him to rest.

2. 2
   verb

   to impose an excessive amount of tax on a person, organization, or activity

   The proposal would overtax small businesses with narrow profit margins.

Formed from over- ('excessively') + tax. Tax came through Old French taxer from Latin taxare, 'assess or value.' Because tax also developed the figurative sense 'make heavy demands on,' overtax can mean either impose too much taxation or strain a body, mind, system, or resource beyond capacity.

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