scot and lot
Definition
Noun: 1. A historical tax or levy: In medieval and early modern England, this term referred to a local tax assessed according to one's ability to pay, used to fund parish expenses. 2. Obligations of all kinds taken as a whole: By extension, it signifies one's full share of communal duties, responsibilities, or financial burdens.
Usage
- The term is primarily historical and used in formal or legal contexts to describe comprehensive civic or financial responsibility.
- It often appears in the phrase "to pay scot and lot", meaning to bear one's full share of communal charges.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "Scot and lot voter": A historical term for a man who was eligible to vote in certain boroughs because he paid this local tax, indicating he had a stake in the community.
- Before the Reform Act of 1832, only scot and lot voters could elect members of parliament in some constituencies.
Variants and Related Words
- Scot-free (adj): Without payment or penalty; escaping one's due share. This common idiom is etymologically related, with "scot" meaning a tax or payment.
- The thief got off scot-free. (Meaning: The thief escaped without punishment.)
Synonyms
- Levy: A tax or charge.
- Assessment: An evaluation for the purpose of taxation.
- Dues: Required payments, such as membership fees.
Related Phrases
- To bear one's share: To accept one's portion of responsibility or cost.
- To pay one's way: To contribute one's fair share of expenses.
Related Idioms
- Go scot-free: To escape completely, especially without the punishment or payment that is deserved.
- Despite the evidence, the corrupt official went scot-free.
Noun
-
obligations of all kinds taken as a whole
