1
                    
      
              
        a
    
                                          
              
          
                                                      : a government monopoly (as on tobacco or salt) used chiefly as a means of taxation                                      
                
                    
            
      
              
        b
    
                                          
              
          
                                                      : tobacco or tobacco products bought or supplied by agents of such a monopoly                                      
              
                                                      
                
                     
            
   
                   
                      
                    2
                    
      
              
        
    
                                          
              
          
                                                      : direct management of public finance or public works by agents of the government for government account as distinguished from a system under which such public business is done under contract                                      
                
                    
            
   
                   
                      
                    3
                    
      
              
        
    
                                          
              
          
                                                      : the system of collecting taxes by officials who have either no interest or a very small interest in the proceeds as distinguished from the system of farming them out                                      
                
                    
            
   
                   
             
                    
                        
        
        
        
                
                
                
        
                
     
    
                                                    
                                                                                                                    
            
                                    
                        
                                                    
                                
                       
                                        
                
                                                
                            
            
                                    
                                    
                        
                                            
                                                            
                                    
                                                                
                                
                                    
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                        
                                                    
                            
                                                               
                                                
  
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  Merriam-Webster unabridged
 
                          
                    
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