the.com/usury
charging so much interest that the loan becomes a slow-motion mugging.
means lending money at interest rates considered excessive or exploitative, historically banned outright, now just capped and regulated.
from from latin usura, meaning use of money — medieval christian and islamic law banned it entirely, since profiting from mere waiting felt like stealing from time itself, which belongs to god.
dante's punishmentusurers sit in hell's seventh circle, near sodomites.
shakespeare's villainshylock in the merchant of venice was a usurer.
medieval loopholejews were pushed into moneylending since christians couldn't.
modern versionpayday loans routinely exceed 300% annual interest.