每日一词学英语(138-13/09/09): profiteer

英国的房贷机构（银行、信用社等）可够黑的，存款利率这么低，房贷利率却一个劲儿地往上涨。专家警告说，如果房贷机构继续这么牟取暴利，等英国央行开始上调利率了，固定期的房贷利率得涨到10%以上。Experts warned that fixed-rate mortgages could soar to 10% when the Bank of England starts to raise rates again, if lenders continue to profiteer. (From The Sunday Times, September 13, 2009: Lenders ignore Bank rate freeze)

profiteer在这儿是动词，to make excessive profits on goods in short supply，牟取暴利：供应短缺时牟取暴利。由profit+eer而来，也可做名词：投机商。