\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.

\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.