impost

im·post ¹  (mpst)

n.

1. Something, such as a tax or duty, that is imposed.

2. Sports The weight a horse must carry in a handicap race.

---

[Obsolete French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin impostum, from Latin, neuter of impostus, variant of impositus, past participle of impnere, to place upon; see impose.]

---

im·post ²  (mpst)

n.

The uppermost part of a column or pillar supporting an arch.

---

[French imposte, from Italian imposta, from Latin, feminine past participle of impnere, to place upon; see impose.]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	impost - money collected under a tariff customs, customs duty, custom tariff, duty - a government tax on imports or exports; "they signed a treaty to lower duties on trade between their countries" ship money - an impost levied in England to provide money for ships for national defense
	2.	impost - the lowest stone in an arch -- from which it springs springer arch - (architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it stone - building material consisting of a piece of rock hewn in a definite shape for a special purpose; "he wanted a special stone to mark the site"