Cess

Pronunciation

• IPA: /sÉ›s/
• Rhymes: -É›s

Alternative forms

• Cess

Shortened form of assess, spelled by analogy with census and other Latinate words.

Full definition of cess

Noun

1. (British, Ireland) An assessed tax.
2. (British, Ireland, informal) Luck
3. (obsolete) Bound; measure.
• ShakespeareThe poor jade is wrung in the withers out of all cess.

Verb

1. (British, Ireland) To levy a cess.

Derived terms

• bad cess

Possibly from an archaic dialect word meaning "bog".

Noun

1. (rail transport) The area along either side of a railroad track which is kept at a lower level than the sleeper bottom, in order to provide drainage.

Derived terms

• cess path
• cess heave

French cesser. See cease.

Verb

1. (obsolete) To cease; to neglect.

Anagrams

• secs