debt

[det]

noun

1. something that is owed or that one is bound to pay to or perform for another.

   a debt of $50.

   Synonyms: due, duty, obligation

2. a liability or obligation to pay or render something.

   My debt to her for advice is not to be discharged easily.

3. the condition of being under such an obligation.

   His gambling losses put him deeply in debt.

4. Theology.,  an offense requiring reparation; a sin; a trespass.

debt

/ dɛt /

noun

1. something that is owed, such as money, goods, or services

2. a debt that has little or no prospect of being paid

3. an obligation to pay or perform something; liability

4. the state of owing something, esp money, or of being under an obligation (esp in the phrases in debt, in ( someone's ) debt )

5. a temporary failure to maintain the necessary supply of something

   sleep debt

   oxygen debt

debt

1. Money, goods, or services owed by an individual, firm, or government to another individual, firm, or government.

Other Word Forms

• debtless adjective
• superdebt noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of debt¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English dette, from Old French, from Latin dēbita (neuter plural, taken in Vulgar Latin as feminine singular), noun use of dēbitus “owed,” past participle of dēbēre “to owe,” contraction of dēhabēre (unrecorded), from dē- de- + habēre “to have”

Word History and Origins

Origin of debt¹

C13: from Old French dette, from Latin dēbitum, from dēbēre to owe, from _de- + habēre to have; English spelling influenced by the Latin etymon

Idioms and Phrases

see head over heels (in debt).

Example Sentences

The internal inquiry found evidence the emails had been sent from her laptop, South Yorkshire Police said, with Thompson in "significant debt through gambling".

From BBC

Josh Groban views his pair of concerts at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend as a form of debt repayment.

From Los Angeles Times

On her most popular Telegram channel she has issued "decrees" to absolve her more than 36,000 followers from bills and debts.

From BBC

Known as "Robodebt", the scheme wrongly told welfare recipients they had been overpaid and demanded they repay these debts, which often never existed.

From BBC

So, to meet the chancellor's self-imposed constraints on debt and borrowing, tax rises appear to be inevitable in November.

From BBC

Related Words

• arrears 
• bill 
• capital 
• commitment 
• credit 
• damage 
• deficit 
• due 
• indebtedness 
• liability 
• mortgage 
• obligation 
• price tag 
• receipt