What does "levy" mean?

Levy: The act of levying or collecting by authority; as, the levy of troops, taxes, etc. A levy of all the men left under sixty. Thirlwall.

Additional senses

  1. 2.That which is levied, as an army, force, tribute, etc. " The Irish levies." Macaulay.
  2. 3.(Law) The taking or seizure of property on executions to satisfy judgments, or on warrants for the collection of taxes; a collecting by execution. Levy in mass Etym: [F. levée en masse], a requisition of all able-bodied men for military service.
  3. 4.To raise, as a siege. [Obs.] Holland.
  4. 5.To raise; to collect; said of troops, to form into an army by enrollment, conscription. etc. Augustine . . . inflamed Ethelbert, king of Kent, to levy his power, and to war against them. Fuller.
  5. 6.To raise or collect by assessment; to exact by authority; as, to levy taxes, toll, tribute, or contributions. If they do this . . . my ransom, then, Will soon be levied. Shak.
  6. 7.(Law) (a) To gather or exact; as, to levy money. (b) To erect, build, or set up; to make or construct; to raise or cast up; as, to levy a mill, dike, ditch, a nuisance, etc. [Obs.] Cowell. Blackstone. (c) To take or seize on execution; to collect by execution. To levy a fine, to commence and carry on a suit for assuring the title to lands or tenements. Blackstone. -- To levy war, to make or begin war; to take arms for attack; to attack.
  7. 8.To seize property, real or personal, or subject it to the operation of an execution; to make a levy; as, to levy on property; the usual mode of levying, in England, is by seizing the goods. To levy on goods and chattels, to take into custody or seize specific property in satisfaction of a writ.

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