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debt
(dĕt)
n.

1. Something owed, such as money, goods, or services: used the proceeds to pay off her debts; a debt of gratitude.

2. An obligation or liability to pay or render something to someone else: students burdened with debt.

3. The condition of owing: a young family always in debt.

4. Financial instruments, such as bonds, mortgages, and loans, that represent a claim to payment and rights of creditorship: invested in government debt; a company issuing debt.

5. A moral or legal obligation to make reparations or undergo punishment for committing an offense: a criminal repaying his debt to society.

[Middle English dette, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *dēbita, pl. of Latin dēbitum, debt, neuter past participle of dēbēre, to owe; see ghabh- in Indo-European roots.]

debt
(dɛt)
n

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

2. (Banking & Finance) bad debt a debt that has little or no prospect of being paid

3. an obligation to pay or perform something; liability

4. (Banking & Finance) 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.

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

debt
(dɛt)

n.

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

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

[1175-1225; Middle English dette < Old French < Latin dēbita (neuter pl., taken in Vulgar Latin as feminine singular), n. use of dēbitus, past participle of dēbēre to owe = dē- de- + habēre to have, possess]

Thesaurus Antonyms Related Words Synonyms Legend:

Noun 1.
debt - the state of owing something (especially money); "he is badly in debt"

2.
debt - money or goods or services owed by one person to another

national debt - the debt of the national government (as distinguished from the debts of individuals and businesses and political subdivisions)

public debt - the total of the nation's debts: debts of local and state and national governments; an indicator of how much public spending is financed by borrowing instead of taxation

bad debt - a debt that is unlikely to be repaid

loan - the temporary provision of money (usually at interest)

principal - the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

score - an amount due (as at a restaurant or bar); "add it to my score and I'll settle later"

3.
debt - an obligation to pay or do something

obligation - a legal agreement specifying a payment or action and the penalty for failure to comply

debt

noun

1. debit, bill, score, account, due, duty, commitment, obligation, liability, arrears, money owing He is still paying off his debts.

2. (Formal) indebtedness, obligation I owe a debt of thanks to her

in someone's debt indebted to, grateful, obliged to, thankful, appreciative, obligated to, beholden to, under an obligation to I shall be forever in your debt for all your kindness.

Quotations
"Debt is the worst poverty" [Thomas Fuller Gnomologia]

debt
noun

1. Something, such as money, owed by one person to another:

2. A condition of owing something to another:

adósság kötelezettség tartozás

debt

[det]

B. CPD debt collection N →
debt collector N →
debt ratio N →
debt relief N →
debt service, debt servicing N ( US) → amortización f de la deuda

debt

debt

:

debt collector

n → Inkassobeauftragte(r) mf, → Schuldeneintreiber(in) m(f) (inf)

debt

:

debt relief

n → Schuldenerleichterung m

debt
(det) noun

what one person owes to another. His debts amount to over $3,000; a debt of gratitude.

ˈdebtor noun

a person who owes a debt.

in debt

debt
→ دَيْن dluh gæld Schulden χρέος velka deuda dug dette 借金 빚 debito skuld schuld หนี้ gjeld dług món nợ dívida долг borç 欠款

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References in classic literature?

Fred Vincy, we have seen, had a debt on his mind, and though no such immaterial burthen could depress that buoyant-hearted young gentleman for many hours together, there were circumstances connected with this debt which made the thought of it unusually importunate.

But that second man has his own way of looking at things; asks himself Which debt must I pay first, the debt to the rich, or the debt to the poor?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Define debt. debt synonyms, debt pronunciation, debt translation, English dictionary definition of debt. n. 1. Something owed, such as money, goods, or services: used the proceeds to pay off her debts; a debt of gratitude. 2. An obligation or liability to pay...