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prettygoodworddemurrage (dih-MUR-ij) - n., the detention of a ship or other freight vehicle, during delayed loading or unloading; a charge for such an undue detention.
If the owner of the freight takes longer than expected/agreed to load/unload, the ship owner typically can charge extra for the time lost. The inverse, loading/unloading faster than expected, is despatch, and often the ship-owner pays the freighter for the time gained -- but this is less common. (I say ship, but this also applies to trains and other transport.) In use since around 1640, from French, from Old French demorage, from demorer, stay/remain (ancestor of English demur) + -age, noun-forming suffix indicating a charge for the action (as in postage), from Latin dēmorārī, to tarry.
---L.
If the owner of the freight takes longer than expected/agreed to load/unload, the ship owner typically can charge extra for the time lost. The inverse, loading/unloading faster than expected, is despatch, and often the ship-owner pays the freighter for the time gained -- but this is less common. (I say ship, but this also applies to trains and other transport.) In use since around 1640, from French, from Old French demorage, from demorer, stay/remain (ancestor of English demur) + -age, noun-forming suffix indicating a charge for the action (as in postage), from Latin dēmorārī, to tarry.
---L.
