| 释义 |
subprime, a. and n.
Brit. |ˈsʌbprʌɪm|, U.S. |ˈsəbˌpraɪm|
[‹ sub- prefix + prime adj.]
A. adj.
1. Below the highest quality or grade; inferior.
1920Food Investig. (U.S. Federal Trade Commission) iv. iii. 190 The producer would thereby have assurance of more reasonable prices for his products when they arrived at market in subprime condition. 1962Times 23 Jan. 16/2 (advt.) Keen competition..which forced down prices for secondary and sub-prime materials..to abnormally low levels. 1993J. M. Mayo Amer. Grocery Store vi. 221 Corporate discount chain managers locate their stores in sub-prime locations to avoid high land costs.
2. Banking (chiefly U.S.).
a. Of or designating a (usually short-term) commercial lending rate which is lower than the prime rate and typically offered only to the most desirable borrowers. Cf. prime rate n. (b) at prime adj. and adv. Special uses.
1976Times 16 Aug. 13/7 Banks in the United States have increasingly sought to be more competitive with regard to obtaining the most credit-worthy clients and..the volume of big loans granted at sub-prime rate levels has risen. 1988Amer. Banker (Nexis) 18 Apr. Lenders routinely extend credit to good customers at sub-prime rates. 1991Financial Post (Toronto) (Nexis) 12 Dec. 5 In a move to grab small business borrowers, Bank of Montreal yesterday announced a special sub-prime interest rate plan for loans of less than $100,000.
b. Of or designating a loan, typically having relatively unfavourable terms, made to a borrower who does not qualify for other loans because of a poor credit history or other circumstance; (also) designating such a borrower.
1993Business Wire (Nexis) 29 June CPS buys sub-prime loans made by car dealers to credit-worthy buyers unable to qualify for loans from banks and automobile finance companies, and then sells the loans to institutional investors. 1998Time 23 Feb. 47/1 As a so-called subprime lender, Green Tree makes high-interest loans to people with damaged credit. 2007Wall St. Jrnl. 27 Mar. c1/2 Remember those ‘low-doc’ loans that got subprime home buyers in trouble—the ones that required minimal proof of ability to repay?
B. n. Banking (chiefly U.S.). Originally: subprime interest (cf. sense A. 2a). Now chiefly: a subprime loan; (also) such loans collectively; cf. sense A. 2b.
1975Stevens Point (Wisconsin) Daily Jrnl. 12 Aug. 20/2 Why..was subprime offered to a municipality whose credit standing is suspect? 1996Amer. Banker (Nexis) 9 Aug. (heading) Start of a mass retreat? BankAmerica pulls back from subprimes. 2007Vanity Fair Oct. 389/2 Smart investors began wondering how many other institutions held worthless subprime, too. |