I .
/ ˈeksaɪz; NAmE / noun
[ U ] a government tax on some goods made, sold or used within a country :
new excise duties on low-alcohol drinks
a sharp increase in vehicle excise
an excise officer (= an official whose job is to collect excise )
—compare customs ➡ note at tax
II .
/ ɪkˈsaɪz; NAmE / verb
[ vn ] excise sth (from sth) ( formal ) to remove sth completely :
Certain passages were excised from the book.
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WORD ORIGIN
I . late 15th cent. (in the general sense a tax or toll ): from Middle Dutch excijs , accijs , perhaps based on Latin accensare to tax, from ad- to + census tax (see census ).
II . late 16th cent. (in the sense notch or hollow out ): from Latin excis- cut out, from the verb excidere , from ex- out of + caedere to cut.