usurious
Meaning: Relating to or involving the practice of lending money at unreasonably or illegally high rates of interest.
Usurious carries strong moral disapproval, rooted in centuries of religious and legal prohibition against excessive interest charges. It is used in financial journalism, legal contexts, and ethical debates about lending practices. The related noun 'usury' is equally common. Both terms appear frequently in discussions of payday lending, credit card charges, and predatory finance.
Examples
- Consumer groups condemned the lender's usurious interest rates, which exceeded forty per cent. 消费者团体谴责该放贷机构的高利贷利率超过了百分之四十。Las organizaciones de consumidores condenaron los tipos de interés usurarios del prestamista, que superaban el cuarenta por ciento.消費者団体はその貸金業者の40パーセントを超える高利貸し的な金利を非難した。소비자 단체는 40퍼센트를 초과하는 그 대출업체의 고리대금적 이율을 비난했다.
- Medieval canon law prohibited usurious practices, making moneylending a morally fraught occupation. 中世纪教会法禁止高利贷行为,使放贷成为一种在道德上备受争议的职业。El derecho canónico medieval prohibía las prácticas usurarias, lo que convertía el préstamo de dinero en una ocupación moralmente conflictiva.中世の教会法は高利貸し行為を禁じており、金貸しは道徳的に問題の多い職業であった。중세 교회법은 고리대금 행위를 금지했으며, 대금업은 도덕적으로 문제가 많은 직업이었다.
- The court found that the terms of the loan were usurious and therefore unenforceable. 法院认定该贷款条款属于高利贷,因此不具有法律效力。El tribunal determinó que las condiciones del préstamo eran usurarias y, por tanto, inaplicables.裁判所はその融資条件が高利貸し的であり、したがって法的効力を持たないと判断した。법원은 해당 대출 조건이 고리대금적이므로 법적 효력이 없다고 판단했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: legal, financial, journalism
Tone: disapproving
Origin & History
From Latin usura meaning interest on money lent, from usus (use). Entered English in the 14th century. Usury was condemned by both Christian and Islamic traditions for centuries.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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