Also 4–7 taxe. [app. a. OF. taxe-r (13th c. in Littré), ad. L. taxāre to censure, charge, tax with a fault; to rate, value, reckon, compute (at so much), make a valuation of; in med.L. also to impose a tax. The inherited form was OF. tausser, taucer (later, by assimilation, tauxer), It. tassare, Sp. tasar, Pg. taxar. Senses 1, 3, 6 are all in French.]
I. 1. To estimate or determine the amount of (a tallage, fine, penalty, damages, etc.); to assess; rarely, to impose, levy (a tax); also, to settle the price or value of. Obs. exc. in Law, to assess (costs). Const. † to (the amount).
[680. K. Cædualla, Grant, in Earle, Land-Charters, 281. Hanc libertatem sub estimatione LXX tributariorum taxauimus.]
c. 1290. Beket, 397, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 118. A taillage þov taxt fram ȝer to ȝer þoruȝ-out al þi londe.
[1314–15. Rolls of Parlt., I. 290/2. La partie serra atteynt du trespas … & les damages taxes a la volunte son adversair.]
13[?]. Cursor M., 27321 (Cott.). [To] knau þe circumstances o þe plight, for to tax þe penance right.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VIII. 271. Þe chirches of Engelond were i-taxed to þe verray value [orig. secundum valorem taratæ sunt].
1424. Paston Lett., I. 13. The damages … were taxed to cxx li.
1530–1. Act 22 Hen. VIII., c. 15. Fines and amerciamentes affiered, taxed, sette, extreted, or judged.
1551. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 207. Taxable … to suche taxe and tallenge as shall be uppon hym taxed and sessyd.
1552. Huloet, Taxe damages in sute, æstimare litem.
1592. Acts Court Requests, 97. The costs to be taxed to the vttermost charge approved due.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. xxiv. 400. These costs on both sides are taxed and moderated by the … proper officer of the court.
1885. Daily Tel., 24 Dec. (Cassell). A returning officer, whose bill of costs has been taxed on the application of the candidates.
† 2. To impose, ordain, prescribe (a thing) to a person; also, to order (a person) to or to do something. Obs.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 5124. Loke … þat neuer þe pore porayle be piled for þi sake, ne taxed to taliage.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 147. To the knyht this lawe he taxeth, That he shall gon and come ayein [etc.]. Ibid., 287. Such a Statut thanne he sette, And in this wise his lawe taxeth.
c. 1450. Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.), 79/249. [Fortune] as her-self liste ordre & devise, Doth euery man his parte devide & taxe.
c. 1500. Melusine, 210. We taxe you to pay to this noble pucelle all such dommages that she hath had at your cause.
1814. Scott, Diary, 6 Aug., in Lockhart. The islanders retort, that a man can do no more than he can; that they are not used to be taxed to their work so severely.
† b. To settle, fix, determine the extent of. Obs.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 223. Whan Salomon his bone hath taxed, The god of that which he hath axed Was riht wel paid.
3. To impose a tax upon; to subject to taxation. Also fig.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 247. Þe dettes þat men þam auht, þer stedes & þer wonyng, Wer taxed & bitauht to þe eschete of þe kyng.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 342. For oon mai seie þat … he [the Pope] haþ power singuler to taxe gracis, as him likiþ.
1453. Rolls of Parlt., V. 233/1. Rightfully charged or taxed to the Dismes.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 360. It shalbe lawfull for euery Magistrate to taxe ye people for ye same cause.
1598. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 486. The people of the countrie … being taxed and pilled so often as he thinketh good.
1627. Sir E. Coke, in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1659), I. 501. The King cannot tax any by way of Loans.
1657. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 214. The same Ley … being unduly taxed.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., V. ii. (1869), II. 420. In the Venetian territory all the arable lands which are given in lease to farmers are taxed at a tenth of the rent.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. vii. 351. It was in the same reign that there was settled the right of the people to be taxed entirely by their representatives.
b. To tax into or out of some state.
1891. Scrivener, Fields & Cities, 70. Proposals have been made … to tax the landlords out of existence.
4. fig. To burden; to make serious demands upon; to put a strain on.
1672. Marvell, Rehearsal Transf., I. 51. Some Critical People, who will … tax up an old-wife’s fable to the punctuality of History.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, Ded., Ess. (ed. Ker), II. 232. What had become of me, if Virgil had taxed me with another book.
1772. Mackenzie, Man World, II. v. I have no right to tax you with my sorrows.
1832. Lytton, Eugene A., I. x. We will not tax the patience of the reader.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxvi. My ingenuity was often taxed for expedients.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., III. xxvi. Most men are afraid of being bored or taxed by a wife’s family.
1902. Aella Greene, Reminiscent Sketches, 17. There he [J. G. Holland] took long vacations, to recuperate his energies that were severely taxed by his duties.
5. U.S. (esp. New Engl.) colloq. To price (a thing at so much); to charge (a person so much for a thing).
1846–7. Mrs. Whitcher, Widow Bedott Papers, 218 (Bartl.). In trading with the clergy [he] only taxed his goods at half price.
1860. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., s.v., ‘What will you tax me a yard for this cloth?’
1888. Farmer, Americanisms, s.v., An everyday colloquialism is ‘What will you tax me?’
II. 6. To censure; to reprove, blame (a person, his action, etc.); to accuse, charge; to take to task, call to account.
1569. Ld. Cecil, Lett., in Strype, Ann. Ref. (1709), I. liii. 532. To think of us as our evil willers are disposed … to tax us.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. xi. (Arb.), 41. Another kind of Poet, who intended to taxe the common abuses and vice of the people in rough and bitter speaches.
a. 1619. Fletcher, etc., Knt. Malta, I. iii. If any therefore can their manners tax … Let ’em speak now.
1692. Dryden, Cleomenes, II. ii. I have been to blame; And you have justly taxed my long neglect.
1709. Pope, Ess. Crit., 589. Fear most to tax an Honourable Fool Whose right it is, uncensur’d to be dull.
1768. H. Walpole, Hist. Doubts, 12, note. That Chronicle … which seems to tax the envy and rapaciousness of Clarence as the Causes of the dissention.
a. 1806. Bp. Horsley, Serm. (1816), II. xvi. 39. Eve … taxes the serpent as her seducer.
1873. Tristram, Moab, v. 96. I was next taxed, and replied that [etc.].
b. Const. † for, of (now rare), with (now usual); † also inf. and obj. clause (obs.).
1548. Patten, Exped. Scotl., E viij. Apertly to tax their goouernour wt ye note of dissimulacion.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 1375. All the world would taxe him to have violated the law of nations.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado (1878), 82. Thy lippes … so modest as nere taxt of sinne.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, IV. 159. I know I shall bee taxed for writing so much of my selfe.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, III. xvii. 136. Many taxed his Holinesse [the Pope] for an unjust steward of the Christian forces, to expend them against the Grecians, which were to be laid out against the Infidels.
1651. Life Father Sarpi (1676), 11. Taxing him to be an Usurper and an unjust Tyrant.
1665. Dryden, Ind. Emperor, III. ii. None shall tax me with base Perjury.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., Pref. (1721), I. 86. A celebrated French Writer taxes him for permitting Æneas to do nothing without the assistance of some God.
1703. Rules Civility, 262. A Magistrate … has been taxed, that instead of Administring Justice fairly, he sells it to the highest Bidder.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XX. 437. Tax not … Of rage, or folly, my prophetic mind.
1777. [see sense 7].
1833. Ht. Martineau, Berkeley, I. iii. I do not mean to tax Rhoda with falsehood.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, lxiv. 322. Chants which an after-time shall tax of vanity never.
† c. absol. To censure, find fault. Obs.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. xv. (Arb.), 48. In those days when the Poets first taxed by Satyre and Comedy, there was [etc.].
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., Democr. to Rdr. 4. I did sometime laugh and scoffe with Lucian, and Satyrically taxe with Menippus.
† 7. To call in question; to challenge, dispute (a statement, etc.). Obs.
1614. Sir R. Dudley, in Fortesc. Papers (Camden), 8. In all wherin my honour nor honestye may not be taxed.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 24. Prone to taxe Gods wisedom, and call him to our barre.
1777. Priestley, Matt. & Spir. (1782), I. xvi. 191. If … any person will tax my opinion … I shall tax him with great stupidity.
III. † 8. Used to render Gr. ἀπογράφειν, to enter in a list, to register, enroll, enter in a list or statement of property. Obs. rare.
1526. Tindale, Luke ii. 3. And every man went int o his awne shyre toune there to be taxed. Ibid., 5. And Joseph also ascended from Galile … in to a cite of David, which is called bethleem … to be taxed. Ibid. (1534), (ed. 2), ii. 1. Ther went oute a commaundment from Auguste the Emperour, that all the woorlde shuld be taxed [1526 shulde be valued; Vulg. describeretur; Wyclif, schuld be discryued; Geneva, 1611 taxed; Rheims, 1881 (R.V.) enrolled].
