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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

sin tax en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic) A government-imposed tax on a specific good, service, or activity which is legal but widely considered to be unwholesome or socially harmful, such as a tax on alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, or gambling.
    • Another form of consumption tax that some foresee is a “sin tax”, which would come in the form of higher excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco. 1988 Dec. 19, Jan M. Rosen, "Tax Watch: The Likely Forms Of New Taxes," New York Times (retrieved 29 Sep 2012)
    • The sin tax is an established tactic. In the early 1500s, Pope Leo X underwrote his lavish lifestyle in part by taxing licensed prostitutes. 2009 April 2, Alex Altman, “A Brief History Of: Sin Taxes”, in Time:
    • He has suggested raising “sin taxes” on cigarettes, liquor and arcade games to pay for the 24-percent teacher pay raise he supports. 1963 May 1, Kathryn Baker, “White Facing Realities: Time, Cash”, in Victoria Advocate, Texas, USA, retrieved 29 Sep 2012, page 16A:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
sin taxes Number=Plur lexicographic

Coordinates

sales tax · carbon tax · income tax · VAT · goods and services tax · luxury tax · property tax · value added tax · GST

Deriveds

sin-taxed

Hypernyms

excise tax · levy · tax

Relateds

profligacy · vice

Synonyms

sumptuary tax