Usury . . . bringeth the treasure of a realm or state into a few
&?;&?;nds.
Bacon.
3. (Law) Interest in excess of a legal rate charged to a borrower for
the use of money.
The practice of requiring in repayment of money lent anything more than
the amount lent, was formerly thought to be a great moral wrong, and
the greater, the more was taken. Now it is not 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
everywhere. Am. Cyc.
Ut (?), n. (Min.) The first note in Guido's musical scale, now usually
superseded by do. See Solmization.
U"tas (?), n. [OF. huitieves, witieves, witaves, oitieves, pl. of
huitieve, witieve, etc., eighth, L. octavus. See Octave, n.] [Written
also utis.]
1. (O. Eng. Law) The eighth day after any term or feast; the octave;
as, the utas of St. Michael. Cowell.
The marriage was celebrated and Canterbury, and in the utas of St.
Hilary next ensuing she was crowned.
Holinshed.