excise

Everyday

1. (noun) Excise, or excise duty, is a tax that the government puts on certain goods made or sold in the country, such as petrol, alcohol and tobacco. tree →
2. (verb, formal) To excise something is to cut it out or remove it, such as a part of a text or a lump in an operation. tree →

In the lessons

A formal word for adults, found in news, money and history lessons. In maths problems excise is a tax added on to a price. In medicine a surgeon excises a growth; an editor excises a scene. Phrases: excise duty, excise tax, customs and excise.

Examples

• The government raised the excise on petrol. tree →
• Excise duty makes cigarettes more expensive. tree →
• The surgeon excised the lump from her arm. tree →
• The editor excised two scenes from the film. tree →
• Customs and excise officers check goods at the port. tree →
• If the excise is 2 dollars a bottle, 10 bottles carry 20 dollars of excise. tree →

Note

Stress: noun EX-cise, verb ex-CISE. Do not confuse with «exercise». Uncountable as a tax: «the excise on fuel». In maths: excise added → price goes up (add or multiply per item).