from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tax \Tax\, n. [F. taxe, fr. taxer to tax, L. taxare to touch,
sharply, to feel, handle, to censure, value, estimate, fr.
tangere, tactum, to touch. See {Tangent}, and cf. {Task},
{Taste}.]
1. A charge, especially a pecuniary burden which is imposed
by authority. Specifically:
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(a) A charge or burden laid upon persons or property for
the support of a government.
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A farmer of taxes is, of all creditors,
proverbially the most rapacious. --Macaulay.
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(b) Especially, the sum laid upon specific things, as upon
polls, lands, houses, income, etc.; as, a land tax; a
window tax; a tax on carriages, and the like.
Note: Taxes are {annual} or {perpetual}, {direct} or
{indirect}, etc.
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(c) A sum imposed or levied upon the members of a society
to defray its expenses.
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2. A task exacted from one who is under control; a
contribution or service, the rendering of which is imposed
upon a subject.
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3. A disagreeable or burdensome duty or charge; as, a heavy
tax on time or health.
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4. Charge; censure. [Obs.] --Clarendon.
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5. A lesson to be learned; a task. [Obs.] --Johnson.
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{Tax cart}, a spring cart subject to a low tax. [Eng.]
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Syn: Impost; tribute; contribution; duty; toll; rate;
assessment; exaction; custom; demand.
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