tax

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   make a charge against or accuse

   The judge taxed them with failure to appear in court.

2. 2
   verb

   use to the limit

   you are taxing my patience

3. 3
   verb

   levy a tax on

   The State taxes alcohol heavily

4. 4
   noun

   Money or goods collected by a government (or an entity to whom the government has delegated this power, e.g. in tax farming) to fund itself and its services, for example by levying a charge on income, purchases (sales), property or harvest, other than that money which is collected by the government in exchange for specific goods (e.g. the purchase of surplus vehicles).

   [They paid a] "mushroom tax" in addition to their regular tax of butter and meat. They had to give 1 dre of dried mushrooms annually to the district administrative centres.

5. 5
   noun

   A charge (of money, food, labor, etc) collected by a person, organization, etc; something required (exacted) from someone who is (really or notionally) under the control of the taxer, such as a contribution or service.

   Flie far from hence All private taxes, immodest phrases, What e'r may but shew like vicious.

6. 6
   noun

   A burdensome demand

   a heavy tax on time or health

7. 7
   verb

   To impose and collect a tax from (a person or company).

   Some think to tax the wealthy is the fairest.

8. 8
   verb

   To impose and collect a tax on (something).

   Some think to tax wealth is destructive of a private sector.

Etymology

From Middle English taxe, from Middle French taxe, from Medieval Latin taxa, from Latin taxō (“to appraise, value, estimate; (medieval) to tax”). Doublet of task. Displaced native Old English gafol, which was also the word for “tribute” and “rent”.