wurgcontract

Dutch

FWOTD – 30 October 2021

Etymology

Compound of wurgen (“to strangle”) +‎ contract (“contract”). Compare German Knebelvertrag (literally “gagging contract”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋʏrx.kɔnˌtrɑkt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: wurg‧con‧tract

Noun

wurgcontract n (plural wurgcontracten)

1. A contract that is very exploitative to at least one party and that is difficult or costly to terminate.
   • 1978 February 23, “Lek in wet geeft scharrelaars kans in privéleningen”, in NRC Handelsblad, volume 8, number 122, page 13:

     Er zijn gewetenloze lieden bij die met allerlei vormen van misleiding klanten lokken en die werken met wurgcontracten waardoor leners steeds dieper in de put kunnen raken.

     There are folks without a conscience among them, who lure customers with all kinds of deception and who use abjectly exploitative contracts through which borrowers can get further and further into trouble.