tax

/tæks/
noun
  1. Money that people or businesses must pay to the government to fund public services.
    • Filing your tax return can be complicated if you have multiple sources of income.
    • The government raised the sales tax to pay for new roads and schools.
    • Everyone must pay income tax on the money they earn from their job.
  2. A heavy demand or strain on something.
    • The constant noise from construction was a tax on the neighborhood's peace.
    • The long hike was a real tax on my energy and patience.
    • Caring for a sick relative can be a tax on your emotional resources.
verb
  1. To impose a tax on someone or something.
    • Many countries tax imported goods to protect local industries.
    • The government taxes cigarettes heavily to discourage smoking.
    • The city council voted to tax large corporations to fund public transportation.
  2. To make heavy demands on; to strain or challenge.
    • Running a marathon taxes your body to its limits.
    • Her patience was taxed by the constant interruptions.
    • The difficult puzzle taxed my brain for hours.
Synonyms
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