[yoo-zhuh-ree] Pronunciation Key | 1. | the lending or practice of lending money at an exorbitant interest. |
| 2. | an exorbitant amount or rate of interest, esp. in excess of the legal rate. |
| 3. | Obsolete. interest paid for the use of money. |
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
| u·su·ry
(yōō'zhə-rē) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. u·su·ries
[Middle English, from Medieval Latin ūsūria, alteration of Latin ūsūra, from ūsus, use; see usual.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
usury
| usury | |
noun | |
| 1. | an exorbitant or unlawful rate of interest |
| 2. | the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest |
usury [(yooh-zhuh-ree)]
The practice of charging more than the legal interest rate.
[Chapter:] Business and Economics
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Usury
The act of lending money at an interest rate higher than that permitted by law.
Investopedia Commentary
This is an illegal practice. Different regions have prescribed interest rates that cannot be exceeded.
See also: Interest Rate, Loan
Main Entry: usu·ry
Pronunciation: 'yü-zh&-rE
Function: noun
Etymology: Medieval Latin usuria interest, lending at exorbitant interest, alterationof Latin usura use, interest (i.e., sum paid for use of money), from usus use
1 : the lending of money at exorbitant interest rates; specifically : thecrime of charging or contracting to charge an unlawfully high rate of interest
2 : a rate or amount of interest charged in usury —compare legal interest at INTEREST 5
Usury
U"su*rer\, n. [F. usurier, LL. usurarius. See Usury, and cf. Usurarious.]1. One who lends money and takes interest for it; a money lender. [Obs.] If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. --Ex. xxii. 25. 2. One who lends money at a rate of interest beyond that established by law; one who exacts an exorbitant rate of interest for the use of money. He was wont to call me usurer. --Shak.Usury
the sum paid for the use of money, hence interest; not, as in the modern sense, exorbitant interest. The Jews were forbidden to exact usury (Lev. 25:36, 37), only, however, in their dealings with each other (Deut. 23:19, 20). The violation of this law was viewed as a great crime (Ps. 15:5; Prov. 28:8; Jer. 15:10). After the Return, and later, this law was much neglected (Neh. 5:7, 10).
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