An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. A definite piece of work required to be done as a duty or routine job.
   

2. A matter of considerable labor or difficulty.
   

3. In computer programming, a basic unit of programming that an → operating system controls.

Etymology (EN): M.E., from M.L. tasca, metathetic variant of taxa “tax,” from taxare “evaluate, estimate, handle,” also “censure, charge.”

Etymology (PE): Taš, created from Proto-Ir. root *taš- “to make, construct; to cut;” cf. Av. tāš- “to make, construct; to cut;” O.Pers. (ham)taxš- “to work with, effect;” Mid.Pers. tâš- “to cut, cleave; create;” Mod.Pers. taš, tišé “hatchet, axe, adze,”
tarâšidan “to shave;” Ossetic I. dasyn/dast “to shave;” Munji tiž-, Yidgha tiž- “to shear;” Pash. toq “to shave;” cf. Skt. taks- “to form (by cutting), to build, prepare;” Gk. tekton “carpenter.”