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Vig, vigorish

Posted by ESC on December 14, 2003

In Reply to: What's vig? posted by MichaelFr on December 14, 2003

: Could you please help me out with the meaning of the word "vig"? Nothing in the online dictionaries, slang included.
: Here is part of the context, it's about loan money:
: "What you're gonna give me is your word you'll pay it back so much a week at interest. If you don't think you can pay at least the vig every week when it's due, please don't take the f....n" money, it wouldn't be worth it to you."
: Thanks.

Merriam-Webster online is WONDERFUL. It has about everything. I found "vig" and that lead to:

Main Entry: vig·o·rish
Pronunciation: 'vi-g&-rish
Function: noun
Etymology: perhaps from Ukrainian vygrash or Russian vyigrysh winnings, profit
Date: 1912
1 : a charge taken (as by a bookie or a gambling house) on bets; also : the degree of such a charge. A vigorish of five percent.
2 : interest paid to a moneylender

I think it's mostly gangster talk.

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