derv

Diesel fuel intended for use in road vehicles and taxed accordingly. British English. Pronounced "durv" to rhyme with curve. Originally an acronym for Diesel Engined Road Vehicle.

Background: Diesel fuel in Britain is supplied in two forms, derv for road vehicles, and cheaper, lower-taxed "gas oil" or "red diesel" for boats, generators, agricultural equipment, construction plant and other non-road use. The two forms are coloured and chemically tagged to enable inspectors to distinguish between them. The tags can be detected in *extremely* small concentrations, and the use of gas-oil in a road vehicle is an offence punishable with *very* heavy fines (Hell hath no fury like a government denied tax revenue).

The price of a gallon of derv has gone up again.

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