Ū'sū-ry, n.

(yū'zhū-rē), n. [Fr. usure, Pr., Sp., Pg., It., & Lat. usura, from uti, usus, to use.]

1Sense 1. A premium paid, or stipulated to be paid, for the use of money; interest. [Obs.]

Thou shalt not lend on usury to thy brother. Deut. xxiii, 19.

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then, at my coming, I should have received mine own with usury. Matt. xxv. 27.

When he borrows from the ancients, he repays with usury of his own. Dryden.

2Sense 2. The practice of taking interest. [Obs.] Bacon.

Usury bringeth the treasure of a realm into few hands. Bacon.

3Sense 3. A premium or compensation paid, or stipulated to be paid, for the use of money borrowed or returned, beyond the rate of interest established by law; illegal interest; exorbitant interest.

Would it not look oddly to a stranger that should come into this land, and hear in our pulpits usury preached against, and yet the law allow it? Selden.

The practice of requiring in repayment of money lent any thing more than the amount lent, was formerly thought to be a great moral wrong, and the greater, the more was taken. But for many years this opinion has ceased to exist, or at least has lost much of its practical or legal force. It is no longer deemed more wrong to take pay for the use of money than for the use of a house, or a horse, or any other property. But the lingering influence of the former opinion, together with the fact that the nature of money makes it easier for the lender to oppress the borrower, has caused nearly all Christian nations to fix by law the rate of compensation for the use of money. Of late years, however, the opinion that money should be borrowed and repaid, or bought and sold, upon whatever terms the parties should agree to, like any other property, has gained ground every where. N. Am. Cyc.