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tax collector

tax collector

13 3.6
A person who takes money from people to pay taxes to the government
  • noun
  • /tæks kəˈlɛktər/
translation icon : recaudador de impuestos
  • Keeping clients' assets out of the clutches of creditors and tax collectors is a primary goal of any estate plan.

And if you spent that money, well, then off to the tax collector you go.

Examples

  • The tax collector visited every household to ensure taxes were paid on time.

  • It's the tax collector, for crying out loud.

  • My brother is a tax collector.

  • I am a tax collector.

  • I took a position with the government as a tax collector.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Together, these laws provide a uniform and fairly transparent process for both taxpayers and tax collectors.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Saint Matthew had been a tax collector called Levi, and in the Gospel of Matthew, Christ appears and says simply to him, Follow me.

  • That I consort with sinners and tax collectors, right, Matthew?

  • That was Velázquez...the Mayor's tax collector.

  • Not for NHS workers, our police, firefighters, teachers, teaching assistants, bin collectors, tax collectors or armed forces personnel.

Synonyms

collector
vstax collector
60 2.8

A person whose job is to get money that others owe

is specifically the government job for collecting public payments
taxman
vstax collector
4 3.1

A government worker who collects taxes from people and businesses

is the formal job title used in official or legal contexts
gatherer
vstax collector
2 5.8

A person who collects money people owe, like rent or taxes

is the official role acting for the state rather than private collection work
revenuer
vstax collector
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A government official who collects taxes and stops people making illegal alcohol

focuses mainly on collecting public payments rather than law enforcement duties
taxwoman
vstax collector
7.1

A woman who works for the government and collects money people have to pay

is the neutral job term used regardless of the worker's gender
collector of internal revenue
vstax collector
  • Formal
7.1

A government official who gathers national taxes on income from people and businesses

is the general government role not limited to income cases
internal revenue agent
vstax collector
  • Formal
6.5

A government worker who collects taxes from people and businesses

is the general government payment role not tied to one country
exciseman
vstax collector
  • Archaic
9.9

A government worker who collects taxes on goods like alcohol

is the broader government payment role covering many types of charges
excisewoman
vstax collector
  • Archaic
9.9

A woman who collects taxes on goods like alcohol for the government

is the wider state role that covers all payment types, not only goods charges

How Authoritative

tax collector
13 3.6

Surface Forms

tax collector singular

Morphology

tax + collector

The meaning 'a person who collects taxes' is directly and transparently compositional from 'tax' (a government charge) + 'collector' (a person who collects money). This is a regular noun compound following common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Tax collector comes from the simple image of tax, the money people must pay, and a collector, someone who gathers it, going from house to house with a bag to take what is owed. So it means 'a person whose job is to collect taxes'.