Imposts:
- (chiefly historical) A tax, tariff or duty that is imposed, especially on merchandise.
- (horse racing, slang) The weight that must be carried by a horse in a race; the handicap. [Wiktionary]
Not something seen much these days, unless you’re a Constitutional scholar, or some legislators; however, back in the day, which would be the late 1700s, it might have been a bit more popular since arbitrary tax imposition was the motivation of the American Revolution.
Noted in “Watching tariffs come down,” Mark Walsh at the delivery of the opinion of the Court in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (Tariffs) on Feb 20, 2026, SCOTUSblog:
[Chief Justice] Roberts continues, referring to Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution setting forth the powers of the legislative branch, including the first clause specifying that “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises.”
The decision was 6-3, with Associate Justices Kavanaugh, Alito, and Thomas dissenting. I’ve not read the dissents.
