cess

¹ American  

[ses] / sɛs /

noun

1. British. a tax, assessment, or lien.

2. (in Scotland) a land tax.

3. (in Ireland) a military assessment.

4. (in India) an import or sales tax on a commodity.

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verb (used with object)

1. British. to tax; assess.

cess ² American  

[ses] / sɛs /

noun

Irish English Informal.

1. luck (usually used in the expressionbad cess to ).

   Bad cess to them!

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cess ¹ British  

/ sɛs /

noun

1. any of several special taxes, such as a land tax in Scotland

2. 1. the obligation to provide the soldiers and household of the lord deputy with supplies at fixed prices

   2. any military exaction

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verb

1. (tr) to tax or assess for taxation

2. (formerly in Ireland) to impose (soldiers) upon a population, to be supported by them

cess ² British  

/ sɛs /

noun

1. an Irish slang word for luck

   bad cess to you!

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cess ³ British  

/ sɛs /

noun

1. short for cesspool

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Etymology

Origin of cess¹

1400–50; late Middle English; aphetic variant of obsolete assess assessment, noun use of assess (v.)

Origin of cess²

First recorded in 1855–60; perhaps aphetic variant of success

Example Sentences

The comments are where the cess is pooled.

From Washington Post • Mar. 5, 2023

To relieve pressure on cess pits - which were prone to leaking, overflowing, and belching explosive methane - the authorities had instead started encouraging sewage into gullies.

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2017

Here where the Thames basin flattens, the cess has to be pumped forty feet up to give it the gradient to reach Beckton.

From The Guardian • Jul. 30, 2012

During my diver training one police diver told me his team had to search a cess pit.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2010

Bad cess to it I but oi'll tache ye!

From Campmates A Story of the Plains by Munroe, Kirk