(of a government)
to demand a tax from (a person, business, etc.).
to demand a tax in consideration of the possession or occurrence of (income, goods, sales, etc.), usually in proportion to the value of money involved.
to lay a burden on; make serious demands on.
to tax one's resources.
to take to task; censure; reprove; accuse.
to tax one with laziness.
Informal. to charge.
What did he tax you for that?
Archaic. to estimate or determine the amount or value of.
a compulsory financial contribution imposed by a government to raise revenue, levied on the income or property of persons or organizations, on the production costs or sales prices of goods and services, etc
a heavy demand on something; strain
a tax on our resources
to levy a tax on (persons, companies, etc, or their incomes, etc)
to make heavy demands on; strain
to tax one's intellect
to accuse, charge, or blame
he was taxed with the crime
to determine (the amount legally chargeable or allowable to a party to a legal action), as by examining the solicitor's bill of costs
to tax costs
slang to steal
First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English taxen, from Medieval Latin taxāre, from Latin: “to appraise, charge, estimate,” literally, “to touch repeatedly,” from tangere “to touch”; noun derivative of the verb
A charge or fee that a government imposes on a citizen or business is called a tax. Taxes help to pay for the services people (and businesses) receive from the government. There are many different kinds of taxes—on purchases, property, and income, for example—but all tax money is meant to pay for things that benefit people in society. For example, in many places schools, road repairs, fire departments, and health care for elderly and disabled people are all paid for with money from taxes. As a verb, tax can either mean "impose a tax on" or "put a strain or burden on."
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
TAX PLANS: Trump and congressional Republicans are proposing a tax plan that cuts taxes for individuals and corporations, reduces the number of personal tax brackets, and nearly doubles the standard deduction used by most Americans.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2017
The cab drivers PAY TAX in Britain, paying for the roads they drive on and their maintenance.
From New York Times • Apr. 23, 2017
TAX CHANGES: The Senate Finance Committee met later Tuesday to approve the tax portions of the budget, which were unveiled last week.
From Washington Times • Jun. 16, 2015
PUNCH-CARD TAX forms are being readied by the U.S.
From Time Magazine Archive
There is a TAX or charge on the use of the State seals on certain documents, and this tax is collected by the secretary of the commonwealth.
From Civil Government of Virginia by Fox, William Fayette
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
