excise

Excise is a term used in several different contexts, all connected by the idea of removing something. In government finance, excise refers to a tax levied on manufactured goods for domestic sale or consumption. This type of tax is typically separate from customs duties and value-added taxes and is used to raise revenue and, in some cases, discourage consumption of certain goods. Excise duties are commonly applied to items such as alcohol, tobacco, petroleum products, and electricity. The word originates from Latin ex- meaning out and caedere meaning to cut, reflecting the idea of cutting a transaction out of the economy for taxation.

In a medical and biological context, to excise means to remove tissue or a lesion by cutting it out. The procedure is called excision, and it may be performed for diagnostic purposes (excisional biopsy) or therapeutic reasons. The verb excise is also used in editing and writing to denote removing words, phrases, or passages, often to improve clarity or correct errors.

In horticulture and anatomy, excision denotes the act of cutting away or trimming away parts of a plant or organ. The common thread in all uses is the act of removal through cutting.

Summary: excise can refer to a government tax on goods, the act of surgically removing tissue, the deletion of text or material, or the pruning and trimming of parts in plants and anatomy. The exact meaning depends on context, but each sense centers on removing something by cutting.

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