What is "usance"

Usance \Us"ance\, n. [F. See Use, v. t.]

1. Use; usage; employment. [Obs.]
   --Spenser.

2. Custom; practice; usage. [Obs.]
   --Gower. Chaucer.

3. Interest paid for money; usury. [Obs.]
   --Shak.

4. (Com.) The time, fixed variously by the usage between different countries, when a bill of exchange is payable; as, a bill drawn on London at one usance, or at double usance.

n. 1 The length of time permitted for the payment of a bill of exchange. 2 use. 3 customary or habitual usage. 4 The interest payed on a borrowed sum, usury.

1. n. the period of time permitted by commercial usage for the payment of a bill of exchange (especially a foreign bill of exchange)

2. (economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing; "the consumption of energy has increased steadily" [syn: consumption, economic consumption, use, use of goods and services]

3. accepted or habitual practice [syn: custom, usage]

Usance refers to the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs. In manufacturing, "usance" means "inputs." It is used in "usance bills." This terminology is used in banks in India, when dealing with forex.

In medieval banking, "usance" denoted the period of time, set by custom, before a bill of exchange could be redeemed at its destination.

In today's financial world, the term usance denotes the period of time between the date of the bill and the payment of the bill, which is allowed by law. Usance differs from country to country. Some countries may have a usance period of as little as 2 weeks, while some others may have a usance period of up to 2 months. Usance usually applies to items or goods purchased on credit.

Usance may also mean the interest that will be charged on the person who has borrowed some amount of money. Thus, usance here means the profits earned from the lending of principal.