taxes
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.money that you must pay to the government so they can pay for things like schools and roads.
n.compulsory financial charges or other levies imposed upon a taxpayer by a governmental organisation.
Simple“The government promised not to raise income taxes for the next four years.”
In context“Economists argue that progressive taxes are essential for reducing wealth inequality while maintaining sufficient funding for public infrastructure.”
UsageUsually used in the plural when discussing the general system of taxation.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.when a government requires people to pay a percentage of their income or the cost of goods.
v.to impose a tax on an individual, business, or activity; used in the third-person singular present tense.
Simple“The city taxes local businesses to pay for the new park.”
In context“The state taxes luxury goods at a significantly higher rate than essential items like groceries and medicine.”
UsageTakes a direct object representing the person or entity being charged.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make a big demand on someone's physical or mental strength.
v.to make heavy demands on a person's resources, patience, or physical strength; used in the third-person singular present tense.
Simple“Working two jobs really taxes his energy and health.”
In context“The complexity of the legal case taxes even the most experienced judges, requiring months of careful deliberation.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.the plural of 'taxis', which means the movement of a living thing toward or away from light or heat.
n.the plural of taxis; refers to the directional movement of an organism in response to an external stimulus.
Simple“The scientist studied how different taxes affect the way bacteria move.”
In context“Phototactic taxes in certain marine larvae ensure that the organisms remain in the nutrient-rich upper layers of the water column.”
UsageThe singular form is 'taxis', not 'tax'.
Synonymsmovementstropisms
See tax.
See taxis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.