levy

¹

[lev-ee]

noun

plural

levies 

1. an imposing or collecting, as of a tax, by authority or force.

2. the amount owed or collected.

3. the conscription of troops.

4. the troops conscripted.

verb (used with object)

levied, levying 

1. to impose (a tax).

   to levy a duty on imports.

2. to conscript (troops).

   Synonyms: enlist, draft

3. to start or wage (war).

verb (used without object)

levied, levying 

1. to seize or attach property by judicial order.

Levy

²

[lee-vee, lev-ee, lee-vee, -vahy]

noun

1. Uriah Phillips, 1792–1862, U.S. naval commander.

2. a male given name.

levy

/ ˈlɛvɪ /

verb

1. to impose and collect (a tax, tariff, fine, etc)

2. to conscript troops for service

3. to seize or attach (property) in accordance with the judgment of a court

noun

1. 1. the act of imposing and collecting a tax, tariff, etc

   2. the money so raised

2. 1. the conscription of troops for service

   2. a person conscripted in this way

Other Word Forms

• levier noun
• relevy verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of levy¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English leve(e), from Middle French, noun use of feminine past participle of lever “to raise,” from Latin levāre, akin to levis “light”; levee ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of levy¹

C15: from Old French levée a raising, from lever, from Latin levāre to raise

Example Sentences

Teresa Ribera, executive vice president of the Commission, said in a statement on Friday the regulator had factored in previous findings of Google's anti-competitive conduct when deciding to levy a higher fine.

From BBC

Clothing brands are among the businesses hit hardest by tariffs as they make goods in Asian countries, which have faced some of the steepest US levies.

From BBC

It formalises an agreement, which was announced in July, to apply a 15% levy to almost all Japanese exports to the US - including vehicles and pharmaceuticals.

From BBC

The White House imposed a 25% levy as a penalty for buying Moscow's oil, on top of a 25% tariff on Indian goods - a move Delhi called "unreasonable".

From BBC

In November, voters approved Measure A, a half-cent tax to fight homelessness, which was an increase from the previous quarter-cent levy.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• burden 
• duty 
• excise 
• fee 
• tariff