Idleness or unemployment, especially the state of a ship lying idle in port without being used for cargo or passengers.
From French 'chômage,' derived from Old French 'chomer' meaning 'to be idle,' from Latin 'caumare' relating to heat and rest during hot seasons. The term evolved to describe forced idleness rather than voluntary rest.
This French word perfectly captures how maritime language has shaped English—ship owners coined terms for their idle vessels during slow trading seasons, and the concept expanded to describe any economic idleness that costs money.
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