vigorish
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A percentage taken by an operator: A commission, fee, or share of profits taken by the organizer or bookmaker of an illicit activity, such as illegal gambling or a racket. 2. Usurious interest: An exorbitant, excessive, or unlawfully high rate of interest charged on a loan.
Usage Examples
- As a bookmaker's commission:
- The bookie's profit is built into the odds through the vigorish.
- After paying the vigorish, my actual winnings were much smaller than expected.
- As usurious interest:
- The loan shark charged a crippling vigorish on the short-term loan.
- Laws exist to protect borrowers from predatory lenders who impose hidden vigorish.
Advanced Usage
- The term is most commonly associated with the world of gambling and organized crime. In sports betting, the vigorish (often shortened to "the vig") is the built-in commission that ensures the bookmaker profits regardless of the event's outcome.
- It can be used metaphorically to describe any unfairly large cut or fee taken by a middleman in a transaction.
Variants and Related Words
- Vig (n): A common informal shortening of "vigorish."
- The vig on that bet was too high to make it worthwhile.
- Juice (n): Another slang term with a similar meaning, especially in North American contexts.
- He's not just lending money; he's charging serious juice.
Synonyms
- Commission: A fee paid to an agent for services.
- Cut: A share of the profits.
- Take: The amount of money received or collected.
- Usury: The illegal action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "The vig is too high": A phrase used to indicate that the cost of participating (in a bet or loan) is excessive and reduces potential value.
- I decided not to place the bet because the vig was too high.
Noun
- a percentage (of winnings or loot or profit) taken by an operator or gangster
- an exorbitant or unlawful rate of interest