Usury is lending money and charging interest that is far too high — money-lending that squeezes the borrower. It is an uncountable noun: you say 'usury', never 'a usury' or 'usuries'. The related words are 'usurer' (the person who lends this way) and 'usurious' (an adjective for such rates or such a loan).

Usury這個字 is is lending money and charging interest that is far too high指借錢出去、收取遠遠過高的利息 — money-lending that squeezes the borrower是那種壓榨借款人的放款方式. It它 is is an uncountable noun一個不可數名詞: you你 say只說 'usury'「usury」, never絕不說 'a usury'「a usury」 or或 'usuries'「usuries」. The related words相關的字 are是 'usurer'「usurer」 (the person who lends this way指這樣放款的人) and和 'usurious'「usurious」 (an adjective for such rates or such a loan形容這種利率或這種貸款的形容詞).

Today the word is mostly legal or moral. Many countries have usury laws, which set a legal ceiling on interest rates; a loan above that ceiling is illegal. When a newspaper writes that a lender was charging 300% a year, that is when 'usury' appears. It is a heavy word — using it means you think the lender was doing something wrong, not merely expensive.

Today今天 the word這個字 is is mostly大多是 legal or moral法律或道德上的用法. Many countries許多國家 have有 usury laws高利貸法, which這些法律 set a legal ceiling on interest rates設定利率的法定上限; a loan超過這個上限的貸款 above that ceiling is illegal就是違法的. When當 a newspaper報紙 writes寫到 that a lender was charging 300% a year某放款人一年收取300%的利息時, that那 is is when就是 'usury'「usury」 appears出現的時候. It它 is is a heavy word一個很重的字 — using it用這個字 means意味著 you你 think認為 the lender放款人 was doing something wrong做了不對的事, not merely expensive而不只是「貴」而已.

Though actually, the word used to mean something much wider, and this is where students get confused reading older books. For centuries in Europe, and in Islamic and Jewish law too, usury meant charging ANY interest at all, however small. Lending at interest was treated as a sin, which is why the money-lenders in old stories are so often hated figures, and why the Church argued about it for hundreds of years.

Though actually不過事實上, the word這個字 used to mean something much wider過去意義寬廣得多, and而 this這 is is where students get confused reading older books學生讀舊書時容易搞混的地方. For centuries好幾個世紀以來 in Europe在歐洲, and而且 in Islamic and Jewish law too在伊斯蘭法和猶太法裡也是, usury這個字 meant指的是 charging ANY interest at all收取任何利息, however small不管多小. Lending at interest收取利息放款 was treated as a sin被視為一種罪, which這 is is why為什麼 the money-lenders舊故事裡的放款人 in old stories are so often hated figures常常是被憎恨的角色, and而且 why the Church教會 argued about it爭論了 for hundreds of years好幾百年的原因.

So in a book from 1400 'usury' probably means all interest; in a newspaper from today it means only unfairly high interest. The meaning narrowed as banking became normal.

So所以 in a book from 1400在一本1400年的書裡 'usury'「usury」 probably means可能指的是 all interest所有的利息; in a newspaper from today在今天的報紙裡 it它 means只 only指 unfairly high interest不公平的高利息. The meaning這個意思 narrowed縮小了 as隨著 banking銀行業 became normal變得普及.

That older meaning has not disappeared. In discussions of Islamic finance, English writers still use 'usury' to translate 'riba', where it keeps the strict old sense of any interest — which is why Islamic banks are built to work without it.

That older meaning那個較舊的意思 has not disappeared並沒有消失. In discussions of Islamic finance在討論伊斯蘭金融時, English writers英文作者 still仍然 use用 'usury'「usury」 to translate來翻譯 'riba'「riba」, where在那裡 it它 keeps保留 the strict old sense of any interest嚴格的舊義——任何利息, which這 is is why為什麼 Islamic banks伊斯蘭銀行 are built to work without it被設計成不收利息運作.