2. (Med.) An inert or slightly active substance used in preparing remedies as a vehicle or medium of administration for the medicinal agents. Chambers.
{ Ex"ci*ple (?), ||Ex*cip"u*lum (?), } n. [NL. excipulum, fr. L. excipere. See Except.] (Bot.) The outer part of the fructification of most lichens.
Ex*cis"a*ble (?), a. Liable or subject to excise; as, tobacco in an excisable commodity.
Ex*cise" (?), n. [Apparently fr. L. excisum cut off, fr. excidere to cut out or off; ex out, off + caedere to cut; or, as the word was formerly written accise, fr. F. accise, LL. accisia, as if fr. L. accidere, accisum, to cut into; ad + caedere to cut; but prob. transformed fr. OF. assise, LL. assisa, assisia, assize. See Assize, Concise.] 1. In inland duty or impost operating as an indirect tax on the consumer, levied upon certain specified articles, as, tobacco, ale, spirits, etc., grown or manufactured in the country. It is also levied to pursue certain trades and deal in certain commodities. Certain direct taxes (as, in England, those on carriages, servants, plate, armorial bearings, etc.), are included in the excise. Often used adjectively; as, excise duties; excise law; excise system.
The English excise system corresponds to the internal revenue system in the United States.
Abbot.
An excise . . . is a fixed, absolute, and direct charge laid on merchandise, products, or commodities.