Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.
credit default swap
(FINANCE) financial instrument in which buyer is someone who needs insurance against the possibility that a borrower will default on a loan. In that case, the counterparty is whoever receives the CDS premiums, and pays out in the event of default.
WHY IT'S BAD
Loans are usually made by either commercial banks (in which a loan officer is supposed to make a professional assessment of risk of default before handing over the money), or by investment banks (which underwrite securities like bonds). If the borrower has a high risk of default, then the loan should not be made--period.
Credit default swaps were a stupid method of supposedly turning a bad loan into a "risky" (and potentially high-yield) "investment"; they were in reality a strategy for fraud. Since portfolio managers knew they were bundling securitized loans that contained mostly crap, they would arrange credit default swaps and cash in when the borrowers defaulted.
WHY IT'S BAD
Loans are usually made by either commercial banks (in which a loan officer is supposed to make a professional assessment of risk of default before handing over the money), or by investment banks (which underwrite securities like bonds). If the borrower has a high risk of default, then the loan should not be made--period.
Credit default swaps were a stupid method of supposedly turning a bad loan into a "risky" (and potentially high-yield) "investment"; they were in reality a strategy for fraud. Since portfolio managers knew they were bundling securitized loans that contained mostly crap, they would arrange credit default swaps and cash in when the borrowers defaulted.
What the bankers hit on was a sort of insurance policy: a third party would assume the risk of the debt going sour, and in exchange would receive regular payments from the bank, similar to insurance premiums. JPMorgan would then get to remove the risk from its books and free up the reserves. The scheme was called a "credit default swap," and it was a twist on something bankers had been doing for a while to hedge against fluctuations in interest rates and commodity prices.
{Newsweek, "The Monster That Ate Wall Street," 27 Sep 2008}
{Newsweek, "The Monster That Ate Wall Street," 27 Sep 2008}
credit default swap by Abu Yahya July 17, 2010
Related Words
credit monger
One who lines themselves up to receive credit, or makes sure that every ounce of credit for their actions is well recognized and possibly even documented. #creditmonger
Milton: I swear all these people who make movies are credit mongers
Peter: I hear you, not like you see my name appearing on the credits of the 500 TPS reports that I've proof-read!
Peter: I hear you, not like you see my name appearing on the credits of the 500 TPS reports that I've proof-read!
credit monger by Max86 November 3, 2014
credit card player
A person that resorts to using real money so as to buy their way thru an online game in this way they can purchase better tools, weaponry, XP, etc. thus gaining an unfair advantage over other players who are earning progress by actually playing the game.
While playing Band of Heroes on facebook, a player posted the comment, " WTF, I been working hard at this game for six months getting no where and that other dude started last week and is in the top ten already ?" To which another player replies, "Yeah, thats a credit card player, a loser that wins, LOL"
credit card player by jpg3 August 15, 2010
cyree
cyree by The Pussy Bomba June 21, 2017
roll credits
roll credits by didi8083 August 28, 2015
More from Urban Dictionary
Ajumma
Ajumma by aintnotinbutnice July 5, 2009
Word of the Day on September 30, 2026
Slop Grenade
When someone uses AI to generate a large document, slide deck, or piece of code/software and tosses it over the fence for you to deal with.
Chad: Hey Brent I sent you the new backend API change to review, it’s only 100 files changed.
Brent: he just tossed me a slop grenade
Brent: he just tossed me a slop grenade
Slop Grenade by Joe Squid September 28, 2026
Word of the Day on September 29, 2026
floxi
Short-hand for the word floccinaucinihilipilification, meaning the estimation of something as valueless (encountered mainly as an example of one of the longest words in the English language).
After we broke up, he was floxi to me.
Respectfully
Precedes or follows either a gratuitously disrespectful or honest remark, originated in New York City. Used in similar fashion to "no offense" or "to be honest," interchangeably.
Ya mans is wild buns, respectfully. Respectfully he's washed.
After school, The Modells on Jamaica Ave was active. Respectfully.
After school, The Modells on Jamaica Ave was active. Respectfully.
Respectfully by john quan the first December 20, 2020
Word of the Day on September 26, 2026
You met me at a very Chinese time in my life
Dante: "I wish I could be Nigerian, but I can't because I'm Chinese. You met me at a very Chinese time in my life."
You met me at a very Chinese time in my life by Sus Chad September 21, 2026
Word of the Day on September 25, 2026