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usury

usury

10 9.8
To charge very high or illegal interest on loans
  • noun
  • /ˈjuːʒəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : usura
  • Prohibition of Riba (usury) is a basic principle in Islamic financial ethics and law.
  • usury laws
  • prohibition of usury
  • profit through usury

You can go back to our religious texts for usury laws and for sort of a demonization of money lenders.

Examples

  • To have hope, let us cancel all debts and cease usury and interest in the world.

    Blog text (24)
  • Furthermore, no one who served in the sanctuary could be involved in usury.

    Academic text (2018)
  • 20% interest under Church canon is usury.

  • Businesses, especially smaller firms, are also prey to usury in less direct ways.

    Blog text (6)
  • You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit.

    Blog text (23)
  • Apparent exceptions, like the prohibitions against usury, were actually implemented in ways that allowed easy evasion.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Upon returning to Basel from Rome in 1411, he delivered a fiery series of sermons attacking usury.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Charging excessive interest on loans is a clear example of usury.

  • Many religious texts condemn usury for taking advantage of those in need.

  • In many countries, laws exist to prevent usury and protect consumers from high interest rates.

Synonyms

loansharking
vsusury
  • NSFW
1 8.2

Lending money at very high interest rates and using threats or violence to collect debts

lacks threats or violence when collecting debts for high rates

How Exploitative

loansharking
  • NSFW
1 8.2
usury
  • Specialized
10 9.8
high-interest
12 4.2
lending
94 1.8

Surface Forms

usury singular
usuries plural

Etymology

Usury comes from the old Latin word usura, from usare meaning 'to use'. It originally meant a payment for the 'use' of money, like paying to rent a tool, and later came to mean charging too much 'interest'.