taxed
taxed — adjective
- taxedpositive
- taxedercomparative
- taxedestsuperlative
1. describes money, goods, or income on which the required government payment has a
describes money, goods, or income on which the required government payment has already been made
Bao's pension is already taxed, so he keeps the full monthly amount.
passive adjective: is already taxed
The charity shop only sells donated goods that are not taxed.
Liam was surprised to learn his online purchases were taxed at checkout.
Taxed income appears on your payslip after all deductions are taken.
Eleni checked whether her freelance earnings had been properly taxed.
- untaxed
no tax has been paid on it
- tax-free
legally exempt from tax
- tax-exempt
officially not required to pay tax
常見錯誤
2. pushed to the limit of what you can manage, physically or mentally
pushed to the limit of what you can manage, physically or mentally
After the marathon, Nala's taxed legs could barely carry her up the stairs.
taxed + body part for physical exhaustion
Diya felt mentally taxed after solving maths problems for six hours straight.
The small hospital's taxed staff worked through the night without a break.
Bao's patience was taxed by his toddler's endless questions about bedtime.
Ramón's taxed voice gave out halfway through his third lecture of the day.
- strained
more often used for specific body parts or relationships
- drained
emphasises loss of energy rather than being pushed to a limit
- overburdened
suggests too many demands at once, more formal
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (TAX PAID): this sense describes strain or exhaustion, not anything to do with money.
taxed — noun
1. money that people and businesses must pay to the government, used to fund public
money that people and businesses must pay to the government, used to fund public services like roads, schools, and hospitals
Nora realised the tax on her new phone added nearly twenty euros to the price.
tax on + noun for goods and services
The government raised the tax on cigarettes to discourage people from smoking.
Gabriel's company pays a corporate tax of fifteen percent on all its profits.
The city used tax money to repair the bridge and build two new playgrounds.
Sade filed her tax return online before the January deadline.
2. a regular payment that members of a club, union, or professional body must make
a regular payment that members of a club, union, or professional body must make to cover shared costs
The gardening club's annual tax is only twelve pounds, which covers seeds and tools.
tax used for membership dues
Hannah paid her union tax each month to support collective bargaining efforts.
Members who failed to pay the tax by March were removed from the society's register.
The professional body raised its annual tax to fund a new training programme.
Bao objected to the tax increase, arguing the association had healthy reserves already.
- dues
more common in American English for membership payments
- subscription
payment for a service or publication, not necessarily membership
- fee
a broader term; a tax in this sense is a specific type of fee for members
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with 'dues' and 'subscription'. 'Tax' in this meaning is more common in British English and often sounds formal.
3. something that uses up a lot of your energy, patience, or resources, as if weigh
something that uses up a lot of your energy, patience, or resources, as if weighing you down
The constant overtime placed a heavy tax on Nora's health and family life.
a tax on + abstract noun (health, patience)
Caring for three young children was a tax on Diya's already limited free time.
The new software placed an unexpected tax on the old computers' processing power.
The long commute became a tax on Ramón's energy that he could no longer ignore.
Roya described the endless paperwork as a tax on her creativity and motivation.
用法筆記
Always used with 'on': 'a tax on something'. Distinguish from sense 1 (GOVERNMENT LEVY), which is about actual money paid to authorities.
taxed — verb
- taxedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- taxeds3rd person singular
- taxeding-ing form
- taxededpast simple
1. to require a person or business to pay a percentage of their income or property
to require a person or business to pay a percentage of their income or property value to the government
The council voted to tax second homes at a higher rate from next April.
tax + object + at + rate
Liam's business was taxed on every sale made through the online platform.
The new law taxes sugary drinks in an effort to reduce childhood obesity.
Governments tax citizens to pay for schools, hospitals, roads, and national defence.
Eleni discovered the authority had taxed her inheritance before she received it.
- exempt
to free someone from the requirement to pay tax
文法句型
tax + object
2. to put someone or something under severe pressure, testing how much they can tak
to put someone or something under severe pressure, testing how much they can take
The steep hike taxed even the fittest climbers in Gabriel's group.
tax + person: push to the limit
Running the restaurant alone taxed Sade's energy beyond what she had expected.
The refugee crisis taxed the small town's resources far beyond normal levels.
Reading the dense legal contract taxed Hannah's concentration to its breaking point.
The old bridge was taxed by the weight of dozens of heavy lorries each day.
文法句型
tax + someone's patience/energy/resources
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (IMPOSE A TAX): this sense is about strain and pressure, not about money or government.
3. to formally state that someone has done something wrong or broken a rule
to formally state that someone has done something wrong or broken a rule
The committee taxed Roya with violating the organisation's confidentiality rules.
tax + person + with + violation
The prosecutor taxed Lan with negligence after the factory accident investigation.
The board taxed the director with misusing funds meant for the charity project.
In the old court records, they taxed the merchant with selling goods under false weights.
文法句型
tax + someone + with + wrongdoing
用法筆記
Used with 'with': 'tax someone with something'. Rare outside legal or historical contexts. Modern English prefers 'accuse' or 'charge'.
常見錯誤
4. to decide the exact amount of money owed for legal costs or a penalty in a court
to decide the exact amount of money owed for legal costs or a penalty in a court case
The judge taxed the defendant's legal costs at just under three thousand pounds.
legal context: tax + costs + at + amount
After the trial ended, the clerk taxed the penalty the company had to pay.
The court taxed the damages at a sum far lower than the claimant had requested.
Nora's solicitor warned that the other side's costs would be taxed before settlement.
The taxing officer taxed the bill of costs after reviewing all submitted receipts.
文法句型
tax + costs + at + amount
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in legal contexts. The object is typically 'costs', 'damages', or 'a penalty'. Distinguish from sense 1 (IMPOSE A TAX), which is about charging tax, not assessing legal sums.