释义 |
tax I. \ˈtaks\ transitive verb (-ed/-ing/-es) Etymology: Middle English taxen, from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French taxer, from Medieval Latin taxare to tax, assess, from Latin, to touch, feel, rate, compute, censure, freq. of tangere to touch — more at tangent 1. a. archaic : to place a value upon : estimate the worth of or fix the price of b. : to assess, fix, or determine judicially the amount of < tax the costs of an action in court > 2. : to make subject to the payment of a tax : levy a charge on; especially : to exact money from for the support of government 3. obsolete : to enter in a list < a decree … that all the world should be taxed — Lk 2:1 (Authorized Version) > 4. a. : to call to account : take to task : charge, accuse < ran to grandfather and taxed him with his falsehoods — W.H.Hudson †1922 > b. : censure < taxes science for being unable … to give us moral directives — Bernard Rosenberg > — usually used with with 5. : to place under onerous and rigorous demands < every muscle is taxed, and every nerve strained — John Burroughs > < it may tax the highest wisdom of the race to preserve civilization at all — F.N.Robinson > Synonyms: see burden II. noun (-es) Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from taxen, v. 1. a. (1) : a usually pecuniary charge imposed by legislative or other public authority upon persons or property for public purposes : a forced contribution of wealth to meet the public needs of a government — compare custom 3, death tax, excise, income tax, indirect tax, inheritance tax, single tax (2) : direct tax < the Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises — U.S. Constitution > (3) Britain : a levy (as on income) paid to the national government — compare rate 3b (5) b. : a sum levied on the members of an organization to defray its expenses 2. : a heavy charge or demand exacted : burden, strain < the grinding duties of this position … proved too great a tax on the strength of even so robust a man — A.W.Long > |