usance

American  

[yoo-zuhns] / ˈju zəns /

noun

1. Commerce. a length of time, exclusive of days of grace and varying in different places, allowed by custom or usage for the payment of foreign bills of exchange.

2. Economics. the income of benefits of every kind derived from the ownership of wealth.

3. Archaic.

   1. use.

   2. custom; habit.

4. Obsolete. usury.

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usance British  

/ ˈjuːzəns /

noun

1. commerce the period of time permitted by commercial usage for the redemption of foreign bills of exchange

2. rare unearned income

3. an obsolete word for usage usury use

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Etymology

Origin of usance

1350–1400; Middle English usaunce < Old French usance, probably < Medieval Latin ūsantia, derivative of Latin ūsant- (stem of ūsāns ), present participle of ūsāre to use; see -ance

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

usance

He lends out money gratis, and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

From William Shakespere, of Stratford-on-Avon His Epitaph Unearthed, and the Author of the Plays run to Ground by Surtees, Scott

Usance between London and Hamburgh is two months, Venice is three months; and double usance, or two usance, is double that time.

From The Complete English Tradesman (1839 ed.) by Defoe, Daniel

Usance payable at Florence or Leghorn, is two months; but from thence payable at London, usance is three months.

From The Complete English Tradesman (1839 ed.) by Defoe, Daniel

Equally good house usance would cost more in nearly all towns, and much more in larger cities.

From Modern Economic Problems Economics Volume II by Fetter, Frank Albert

I have not wanted good words, and exceeding kind and regardful usance.

From Great Ralegh by Selincourt, Hugh de