Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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: (a) A charge or burden laid upon persons or property for the support of a government. A farmer of taxes is, of all creditors, proverbially the most rapacious. --Macaulay. (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. (c) A sum imposed or levied upon the members of a society to defray its expenses. 2. A task exacted from one who is under control; a contribution or service, the rendering of which is imposed upon a subject. 3. A disagreeable or burdensome duty or charge; as, a heavy tax on time or health. 4. Charge; censure. [Obs.] --Clarendon. 5. A lesson to be learned; a task. [Obs.] --Johnson. {Tax cart}, a spring cart subject to a low tax. [Eng.] Syn: Impost; tribute; contribution; duty; toll; rate; assessment; exaction; custom; demand.
\Tax\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Taxed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Taxing}.] [Cf. F. taxer. See {Tax}, n.] 1. To subject to the payment of a tax or taxes; to impose a tax upon; to lay a burden upon; especially, to exact money from for the support of government. We are more heavily taxed by our idleness, pride, and folly than we are taxed by government. --Franklin. 2. (Law) To assess, fix, or determine judicially, the amount of; as, to tax the cost of an action in court. 3. To charge; to accuse; also, to censure; -- often followed by with, rarely by of before an indirect object; as, to tax a man with pride. I tax you, you elements, with unkindness. --Shak. Men's virtues I have commended as freely as I have taxed their crimes. --Dryden. Fear not now that men should tax thine honor. --M. Arnold.