overtax
UK[ˌəʊvəˈtæks]US[ˌoʊvərˈtæks]
v
to make someone pay too much tax
v
to make excessive demands on someone or something
Morpheme Breakdown
over
tax
over
excessive
tax
levy
Etymology
the word 'overtax' is a transparent english compound formed by combining the native english prefix 'over-' with the latin-derived root 'tax'. the prefix 'over-', from old english 'ofer', carries the enduring sense of excess or going beyond a limit. the root 'tax' originates from the latin 'taxare', meaning 'to evaluate, handle, or censure', which evolved in medieval latin to signify assessing a financial charge. the literal combination, 'to tax beyond a limit', logically extends to its two modern senses: the concrete financial meaning of imposing too high a levy and the figurative meaning of placing excessive strain on a person or system.
Analysis
Structure: over (excessive) + tax (levy)
over (old english, prefix meaning 'above, beyond, excessively'); tax (latin via middle english, root meaning 'to assess, levy a charge')
Examples
the new policy could overtax low-income families.
be careful not to overtax your muscles when you start a new exercise routine.
the complex regulations overtax the small administrative team.