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tax

/tæks/
nounverb

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).

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 3 meanings

  1. 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).

  2. 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.

  3. A burdensome demand

    “a heavy tax on time or health”

Verb 4 meanings

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

    “Some think to tax the wealthy is the fairest.”

  2. To impose and collect a tax on (something).

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

  3. To make excessive demands on.

    “Do not tax my patience.”

  4. To accuse.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

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”.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
imposttributecontributiondutytollrateassessmentexaction
Opposite
subsidy

TAX at a glance

TAX has 3 letters and scores 10 points in Scrabble (T 1 + A 1 + X 8) and 10 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #724 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.

Rhymes with tax

All rhymes
  • SYNTAX16
  • PRETAX15
  • SURTAX13
  • OVERTAX17
  • NONTAX13
  • SUPERTAX17
  • AFTERTAX18
  • ANTITAX14
  • POSTTAX16
  • RETAX12
  • UNDERTAX16
  • UNTAX12

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