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cess

1
[ ses ]
/ sɛs /
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noun
British. a tax, assessment, or lien.
(in Scotland) a land tax.
(in Ireland) a military assessment.
(in India) an import or sales tax on a commodity.
verb (used with object)
British. to tax; assess.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of cess

1
1400–50; late Middle English; aphetic variant of obsolete assess assessment, noun use of assess (v.)

Other definitions for cess (2 of 2)

cess2
[ ses ]
/ sɛs /

noun Irish English Informal.
luck (usually used in the expression bad cess to): Bad cess to them!

Origin of cess

2
First recorded in 1855–60; perhaps aphetic variant of success
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cess in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cess (1 of 3)

cess1
/ (sɛs) /

noun
British any of several special taxes, such as a land tax in Scotland
(formerly, in Ireland)
  1. the obligation to provide the soldiers and household of the lord deputy with supplies at fixed prices
  2. any military exaction
verb
(tr) British to tax or assess for taxation
(formerly in Ireland) to impose (soldiers) upon a population, to be supported by them

Word Origin for cess

C16: short for assessment

British Dictionary definitions for cess (2 of 3)

cess2
/ (sɛs) /

noun
an Irish slang word for luck bad cess to you!

Word Origin for cess

C19: probably from cess 1 (sense 2)

British Dictionary definitions for cess (3 of 3)

cess3
/ (sɛs) /

noun
short for cesspool
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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