excise

¹

[ noun ek-sahyz, -sahys; verb ek-sahyz, ik-sahyz ]

noun

1. an internal tax or duty on certain commodities, as liquor or tobacco, levied on their manufacture, sale, or consumption within the country.
2. a tax levied for a license to carry on certain employments, pursue certain sports, etc.
3. British. the branch of the civil service that collects excise taxes.

verb (used with object)

, ex·cised, ex·cising.

1. to impose an excise on.

excise

²

[ ik-sahyz ]

verb (used with object)

, ex·cised, ex·cis·ing.

1. to expunge, as a passage or sentence, from a text.
2. to cut out or off, as a tumor.

excise

¹

noun

1. Also calledexcise tax a tax on goods, such as spirits, produced for the home market
2. a tax paid for a licence to carry out various trades, sports, etc
3. that section of the government service responsible for the collection of excise, now part of HMRC

excise

²

/ ɪkˈsɪʒən; ɪkˈsaɪz /

verb

1. to delete (a passage, sentence, etc); expunge
2. to remove (an organ, structure, or part) surgically

Derived Forms

• exˈcisable, adjective
• excision, noun

Other Words From

• ex·cis·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of excise¹

1485–95; apparently < Middle Dutch excijs, variant of accijs < Medieval Latin accīsa tax, literally, a cut, noun use of feminine past participle of Latin accīdere to cut into, equivalent to ac- ac- + cīd-, variant stem of caedere to cut + -ta feminine past participle suffix, with dt > s

Origin of excise²

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin excīsus “cut out, hewn down,” past participle of excīdere “to excide ”

Word History and Origins

Origin of excise¹

C15: probably from Middle Dutch excijs, probably from Old French assise a sitting, assessment, from Latin assidēre to sit beside, assist in judging, from sedēre to sit

Origin of excise²

C16: from Latin excīdere to cut down; see excide

Example Sentences

If you think the old idea that hunters and anglers, through excise fees and licenses, can foot the increasing conservation bill, I have some news for you.

From Outside Online

The SPACE Tax Act — or Securing Protections Against Carbon Emissions — proposed by Blumenauer would include a per-passenger tax, but also an excise tax based on how far into space the flight goes.

From Washington Post

While excise revenue boomed in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Nevada, the market has matured and growth has begun to slow.

From Washington Post

The Senate bill would loosen the rules even more, applying a 15% excise tax on the part of the account involved in the prohibited transaction without blowing up the account.

From ProPublica

I do not have to fight and struggle to excise them, but rather to love and cherish and heal them.

From Popular-Science

The government, in effect, was attempting to excise certain points of view from public debate.

From The Daily Beast

Then throw in insurance costs, an excise tax depending on what state you live in, and increasingly expensive tolls.

From The Daily Beast

But its critics say it would be far better if companies had to excise such data before sharing what is left.

From The Daily Beast

This has always included the excise tax penalty for non-compliance with the individual mandate.

From The Daily Beast

The idea is, hold back the barbarian hordes, and excise the cancerous growth that is sucking the lifeblood from our economy.

From The Daily Beast

The revenue is derived from direct taxes on land and provisions, excise upon exports and imports, and harbour dues.

From Project Gutenberg

Duncombe indeed had his own reasons for hating Montague, who had turned him out of the place of Cashier of the Excise.

From Project Gutenberg

He had been ordered by the Commissioners of the Excise to pay ten thousand pounds into the Exchequer for the public service.

From Project Gutenberg

He therefore selected his brother Christopher, whom he had lately made a Commissioner of the Excise, to keep the place for him.

From Project Gutenberg

So home, where I found Mrs. Hunt in great trouble about her husband's losing of his place in the Excise.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• surcharge
• tariff