tax´er

tax «taks», noun, verb.

–n.

1. money paid by people for the support of the government and the cost of public works and services; money or sometimes goods collected from citizens by their rulers; assessment; levy: »

Our parents pay taxes to the city, state, and federal government.

SYNONYM(S): impost, duty, excise.

2. Figurative. any burden, duty, or demand that oppresses; strain: »

Climbing stairs is a tax on a weak heart.

3. U.S. Informal. the price for any article or service; charge.

4. work or goods required from people by the government.

╂[< verb]

–v.t.

1. to require (a person) to pay a tax. People who own property are taxed in order to provide clean streets, good roads, protection against crime, and free education.

2. to put a tax on: »

to tax cigarettes, to tax incomes.

3. Figurative. to put a heavy burden on; make demands on; be hard on; strain: »

The work taxed her strength. Reading in a poor light taxes the eyes.

SYNONYM(S): task.

4. to criticize (a person); call to account; reprove; accuse; censure: »

The teacher taxed him with having neglected his work.

5. Law. to determine the amount of (costs, as of a lawsuit).

6. U.S. Informal. in New England: a) to price (a thing at so much). b) to charge (a price for a thing).

╂[< Old French taxer, learned borrowing from Medieval Latin taxare impose a tax; censure, take to task < Latin taxāre evaluate, estimate, assess, perhaps < tangere to touch. Compare etym. under task (Cf. ↑task), taste. (Cf. ↑taste)]

–tax´er, noun.