tax
taks
Tax (noun) means Money that a government requires people or businesses to pay, used to fund public services. Example: “Income tax is deducted directly from most people's wages.”
noun
1
Money that a government requires people or businesses to pay, used to fund public services.
"Income tax is deducted directly from most people's wages."
"The government raised tax on fuel this year."
"Many shops add tax to the price at the till."
verb
1
To require someone to pay tax, or to charge tax on something.
"Cigarettes are taxed heavily to discourage smoking."
"The council plans to tax empty homes more heavily next year."
"Self-employed workers are taxed on whatever they earn after expenses."
2
To place a heavy strain or demand on something.
"The extra shifts really taxed her patience."
"Memorising all those rules really taxed my brain this afternoon."
"The steep hill taxed the old engine to its limit."
How to use tax
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMoney owed to the government, or, more loosely, anything that puts a heavy strain on you.
Common pairings
pay tax
tax return
tax someone's patience
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Word forms
- Plural
- taxes
- Third person singular
- taxes
- Past tense
- taxed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Income _____ is deducted directly from most people's wages.
Etymology
From Latin taxare ("to assess, estimate"), via Old French taxe — a doublet of the word "task."
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “tax” mean?
The word “tax” means money that a government requires people or businesses to pay, used to fund public services. In plain terms, money owed to the government, or, more loosely, anything that puts a heavy strain on you.
How do you pronounce “tax”?
“Tax” is pronounced taks (/tæks/ in IPA).
How do you use “tax” in a sentence?
Here is “tax” used in a sentence: “Income tax is deducted directly from most people's wages.”
What part of speech is “tax”?
Depending on how it is used, “tax” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “tax” come from?
The word “tax” comes from Latin. From Latin taxare ("to assess, estimate"), via Old French taxe — a doublet of the word "task.".
Is “tax” a common word?
“Tax” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “tax” have?
“Tax” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: money that a government requires people or businesses to pay, used to fund public services.
What is the difference between a tax and a fee?
A tax is a compulsory payment to government that is not tied to any specific service you receive in return; it funds public spending in general. A fee is a charge for a particular service or privilege, such as a passport or licence. You can avoid a fee by not using the service, but tax is mandatory.
What are the main types of tax?
Taxes fall into two broad groups. Direct taxes are paid straight to government on income or wealth, such as income tax, corporation tax, and capital gains tax. Indirect taxes are added to goods and services and collected by sellers, such as VAT, sales tax, and duties on fuel, alcohol, and tobacco.
What is the difference between direct and indirect tax?
A direct tax is levied on a person or company's income or wealth and paid directly to government, like income tax. An indirect tax is charged on spending, added to the price of goods and services like VAT, and passed on through the seller. Direct taxes rise with earnings; indirect taxes depend on what you buy.
Why do we pay taxes?
Taxes fund the services and infrastructure society relies on but individuals cannot easily buy alone: schools, hospitals, roads, defence, policing, and welfare. They also let governments redistribute wealth and influence behaviour, for example through higher duties on tobacco. In short, tax is how public spending is paid for.
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