ˈpoor-rate
Also 8–9 poor's rate.
A rate or assessment, for the relief or support of the poor.
| 1601 Acc. Bk. W. Wray in Antiquary XXXII. 80, ixs. xd...for the pur rait mony. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia ix. iv, I pay the poor's rate, and that's what I call charity enough for any man. 1797 Monthly Mag. III. 74 The exorbitant poor-rates with which the public there have been burthened for some time past. 1817 Byron Beppo xlix, Poor's rate, Reform, my own, the nation's debt. 1863 H. Cox Instit. iii. ix. 730 Householders..paying poor-rates and borough-rates. |