impost1
/ˈɪmpəʊst
/noun
1A tax or similar compulsory payment: some of the labels are used for the purpose of collecting Customs duty or other imposts...
- Article I, Section 8 allows for the collection of ‘taxes, duties, imposts and excises’ but only ‘for revenue necessary’ to finance the government and not to protect any business or industry from international competition.
- In the words of Article I, Section 8, Congress had the general power ‘to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises.’
- More specifically, the Estonian model, like the other eastern European states with flat taxes, retains social security payments as a separate impost.
2 Horse Racing The weight carried by a horse as a handicap.But he will skip the race because of the impost, as will stablemate Mutafaweq, who was assigned 131 pounds....
- True Direction's impost worried trainer Carlos Morales before the race.
- With the departure of Tranquility Lake, Tout Charmant will carry the high weight of 120 pounds, with Caffe Latte's 117 the second highest impost.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from French (earlier form of impôt), from medieval Latin impostus, from Latin impositus, past participle of imponere (see impose).
impost2
/ˈɪmpəʊst/noun Architecture
The top course of a pillar that supports an arch.This space was ornamented with low relief sculpture of winged sun disks and wreaths located on the pedimented impost blocks between the arches....
- The pedimented and ornamented impost blocks between the arches used in his earlier capitols were notably absent.
- Inside, the most striking feature is the Saxon chancel arch, with its through stones (up the sides), imposts (off which the arch springs), and through-stone voussoirs forming the arch itself.
Origin
Late 15th century: from Italian imposta, feminine past participle of imporre, from Latin imponere (see impose).