levy

/ˈlɛvi/
verb
  1. To impose and collect (a tax, fee, or fine) by legal authority.
    • The city will levy a fine on businesses that violate noise regulations.
    • The government decided to levy a new tax on sugary drinks.
    • They levy an annual fee on all vehicle owners.
  2. To start or wage (a war, especially a formal one).
    • The neighboring kingdom threatened to levy war against the rebels.
    • The treaty forbids either nation to levy war without cause.
    • The general prepared to levy an attack at dawn.
  3. To enlist (people) for military service; to draft.
    • During the emergency, the government levied all men between 18 and 30.
    • The army levied new recruits to replace those lost in battle.
    • The emperor levied soldiers from every province.
Antonyms
noun
  1. An amount of money, such as a tax, that is collected by a government or authority.
    • Farmers protested the grain levy imposed by the national government.
    • The school district's annual levy helps pay for teachers' salaries and supplies.
    • The city council approved a new levy on property sales to fund the park renovation.
  2. The act of collecting money, especially through taxes or fines.
    • The government's levy of a carbon tax aims to reduce pollution.
    • The levy of tariffs on imported goods caused prices to rise.
    • The court ordered a levy on the company's assets to cover the debt.
  3. The process of enlisting people for military service; a draft.
    • During the war, the king ordered a levy of all able-bodied men.
    • Historical records describe the levy of soldiers from rural villages.
    • The levy of troops was completed within a week.
Synonyms