tax

Money or goods collected by a government (or an entity to whom the government has delegated this power, e.g. in tax farming) to fund itself and its services, for example by levying a charge on income, purchases (sales), property or harvest, other than that money which is collected by the government in exchange for specific goods (e.g. the purchase of surplus vehicles).

How to use

In formal and informal contexts, 'tax' is used to refer to a compulsory payment imposed by a government or other authority to fund public goods and services. For example, 'The government will increase taxes to fund the new infrastructure project.' However, it's worth noting that the phrase 'pay taxes' is often used in the present continuous tense, which can be a source of confusion for learners, as it implies a sense of ongoing or repeated action, e.g., 'I'm paying taxes this month.'