Definition

1. Noun:
   • A tax or duty, especially a customs duty: An "impost" is a compulsory payment levied on goods, particularly those imported into a country.
   • The weight a horse must carry in a handicap race: In horse racing, an "impost" is the assigned weight a horse must carry to equalize competition.
   • (Architecture) The lowest stone or springer of an arch: In architecture, an "impost" is the block or capital from which an arch springs.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Tax/Duty):
  • The government levied a heavy impost on imported luxury vehicles.
  • Merchants protested the new impost on textiles.
• Noun (Horse Racing):
  • The champion horse carried a significant impost of 130 pounds in the race.
  • A lighter impost can give a younger horse an advantage.
• Noun (Architecture):
  • The Romanesque arch rests on a beautifully carved impost.
  • The architect examined the impost to assess the arch's stability.

Advanced Usage

• "To lay an impost on": To impose a tax or duty on something.
  • The king laid a new impost on wine to fund his wars.
• "To carry an impost": To bear an assigned weight in a race (horse racing).
  • The filly is talented but struggles to carry a heavy impost.

Variants and Related Words

• Impostor/Imposter (n): A person who pretends to be someone else to deceive others. (Note: This is a distinct word, not a variant of "impost").
  • He was exposed as an impostor.
• Imposture (n): The act or instance of deceiving under a false identity.
  • His entire career was built on an imposture.

Synonyms

• Tax, duty, levy, tariff, customs (for the financial meaning).
• Burden, weight, handicap (for the racing meaning).
• Springing point, springer, abutment (for the architectural meaning).

Related Phrases

• Impost block: A specific architectural term for the stone serving as an impost.
  • The decorative impost block featured intricate carvings.
• Impost income: (Historical/Formal) Revenue derived from taxes and duties.
  • The kingdom's impost income funded public works.

Related Idioms

• "To bear the impost": (Figurative, from racing) To carry a burden or responsibility.
  • As the new CEO, she had to bear the impost of the company's failing finances.

Noun

1. the lowest stone in an arch -- from which it springs
2. money collected under a tariff