English

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Etymology

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Attested from 1920s, perhaps as a back-formation from tax dodger, which is attested from the late 19th century. (But also compare dodge (trick, stratagem).)

Noun

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tax dodge (plural tax dodges)

  1. (somewhat derogatory, informal) A scheme (legal or illegal) to avoid paying tax, or to pay less tax.
    • 1927, United States Code Annotated[1]:
      [] indication that taxpayer accepted public employment as a tax dodge, and where taxpayer earned approximately 98% of his income from his Oregon based business activities, taxpayer was a "public employee" and was therefore entitled to deduct []
    • 1941, “PARK 'GIFT' TO CITY CALLED TAX DODGE”, in The New York Times[2]:
      [headline] PARK 'GIFT' TO CITY CALLED TAX DODGE

Further reading

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