3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tax  \Tax\,  n.  [F.  taxe,  fr  taxer  to  tax,  L.  taxare  to  touch, 
  sharply,  to  feel  handle,  to  censure,  value,  estimate,  fr 
  tangere  tactum  to  touch.  See  {Tangent},  and  cf  {Task}, 
  {Taste}.] 
  1.  A  charge,  especially  a  pecuniary  burden  which  is  imposed 
  by  authority.  Specifically: 
  a  A  charge  or  burden  laid  upon  persons  or  property  for 
  the  support  of  a  government. 
 
  A  farmer  of  taxes  is  of  all  creditors, 
  proverbially  the  most  rapacious.  --Macaulay. 
  b  Especially,  the  sum  laid  upon  specific  things  as  upon 
  polls,  lands,  houses,  income,  etc.;  as  a  land  tax;  a 
  window  tax;  a  tax  on  carriages,  and  the  like 
 
  Note:  Taxes  are  {annual}  or  {perpetual},  {direct}  or 
  {indirect},  etc 
  c  A  sum  imposed  or  levied  upon  the  members  of  a  society 
  to  defray  its  expenses. 
 
  2.  A  task  exacted  from  one  who  is  under  control;  a 
  contribution  or  service,  the  rendering  of  which  is  imposed 
  upon  a  subject. 
 
  3.  A  disagreeable  or  burdensome  duty  or  charge;  as  a  heavy 
  tax  on  time  or  health. 
 
  4.  Charge;  censure.  [Obs.]  --Clarendon. 
 
  5.  A  lesson  to  be  learned;  a  task.  [Obs.]  --Johnson. 
 
  {Tax  cart},  a  spring  cart  subject  to  a  low  tax.  [Eng.] 
 
  Syn:  Impost;  tribute;  contribution;  duty;  toll;  rate; 
  assessment;  exaction;  custom;  demand. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tax  \Tax\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Taxed};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Taxing}.]  [Cf.  F.  taxer.  See  {Tax},  n.] 
  1.  To  subject  to  the  payment  of  a  tax  or  taxes;  to  impose  a 
  tax  upon  to  lay  a  burden  upon  especially,  to  exact  money 
  from  for  the  support  of  government. 
 
  We  are  more  heavily  taxed  by  our  idleness,  pride, 
  and  folly  than  we  are  taxed  by  government. 
  --Franklin. 
 
  2.  (Law)  To  assess,  fix,  or  determine  judicially,  the  amount 
  of  as  to  tax  the  cost  of  an  action  in  court. 
 
  3.  To  charge;  to  accuse;  also  to  censure;  --  often  followed 
  by  with  rarely  by  of  before  an  indirect  object;  as  to 
  tax  a  man  with  pride. 
 
  I  tax  you  you  elements,  with  unkindness.  --Shak. 
 
  Men's  virtues  I  have  commended  as  freely  as  I  have 
  taxed  their  crimes.  --Dryden. 
 
  Fear  not  now  that  men  should  tax  thine  honor.  --M. 
  Arnold. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  tax 
  n  :  charge  against  a  citizen's  person  or  property  or  activity 
  for  the  support  of  government  [syn:  {taxation},  {revenue 
  enhancement}] 
  v  1:  levy  a  tax  on 
  2:  determine  the  court  costs  of  in  court  actions  [syn:  {assess}] 
  3:  use  to  the  limit;  "you  are  taxing  my  patience"  [syn:  {task}] 

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