usance

American  

[yoo-zuhns] / ˈyu 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; -ance

Example Sentences

The term "usance" is sometimes employed to express the period of running in foreign bills.

From The Gentleman's Model Letter-writer A Complete Guide to Correspondence on All Subjects, with Commercial Forms by Anonymous

He it was who prepared their bonds and contracts, and placed out their ill-gotten gains at exorbitant usance.

From The Star-Chamber, Volume 1 An Historical Romance by Ainsworth, William Harrison

Be warned that unless the 8 shillings and the usance thereof be forthcoming, the town-crier shall notify the sale of the sundry articles named.

From Shakespeare's Insomnia, and the Causes Thereof by Head, Franklin H. (Franklin Harvey)

Everything in it, tolerable or intolerable, will have but one use; and that use what our ancestors used to call usance or usury.

From Utopia of Usurers and Other Essays by Chesterton, G. K. (Gilbert Keith)

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

From Great Ralegh by Selincourt, Hugh de