taxman

Everyday

1. (informal) The taxman is the government office that collects taxes, spoken of as if it were one person. tree →
2. A person who collects taxes for the government. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday talk adults say «the taxman» when they mean the tax office (in the UK, HMRC; in the USA, the IRS). In old stories and the Bible a taxman (tax collector) was often disliked. Phrases: «pay the taxman», «owe the taxman», «the taxman takes a cut».

Examples

• Dad grumbled that the taxman takes a big part of his pay. tree →
• You must tell the taxman how much money you earn. tree →
• In the story, the taxman came to the village every spring. tree →
• Mum owes the taxman a little money this year. tree →
• The shop has to keep records for the taxman. tree →
• In the Bible, Zacchaeus was a taxman who changed his ways. tree →
• Everyone has to pay the taxman, even famous people. tree →

Note

Informal; plural «taxmen». Usually «the taxman», like a nickname for the tax office. Formal word: tax collector or tax authority. Not rude, but often said with a grumble.