| 释义 |
‖ chout|tʃaʊt|
[Mahrātī and Hindī chauth ‘a fourth part’.]
The black-mail of one-fourth of the revenue formerly exacted by the Mahrattas in India from provinces within reach of their arms, in return for immunity from plunder. Also applied to similar exactions.
1674in Orme Fragm. 45 (Y.) Messengers were sent to Bassein demanding the chout of all the Portugese territory in these parts. 1796Morse Amer. Geog. II. 539 Subject to a tribute of a Chout..to the Berar Mahratta. 1803Wellington in Gurw. Disp. II. 131, I wish first to know whether the Choute claimed is disputable by the Nizam's government. 1818Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. i. 316 The chout, or exaction, of a fourth part of all litigated property, for the benefit of the Judge, was abolished. 1841Elphinstone Hist. Ind. II. 485 Sévají, for the first time, levied the chout, afterwards so celebrated in Maratta history. |