debts
What borrowers carry
Debts are amounts of money or obligations owed to others.
The word covers everything from credit card balances and mortgages to money borrowed from friends.
Beyond financial obligations, debt extends to abstract owing: I owe you a debt of gratitude.
To be in debt is to owe money; to be in someone's debt is to feel obligated to them for a favor or kindness.
Debts can be repaid, forgiven, or—if you're lucky—written off.
Borrowed money repaid later
- mortgageSecured home loan
- creditRecognition or payment deferral
- arrearsOverdue financial obligations
- defaultPreset standard option
bankruptcy · insolvency · liabilities · interest · lender · borrower · foreclosure · creditor
Exceptionally good or unpaid
unsettled · accrued · delinquent · owed · amounts · bills · balances · receivables
Periodic partial payments
- amortizationGradual debt reduction schedule
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- payoffCulminating benefit received
- clearancePermitted passage or approval
liquidation · redemption · discharge · restructuring · forgiveness · relief · cancellation · deferment
Measure of heaviness
- strainExcessive stretching force
- pressureForce upon contact
- millstoneGrain-crushing circular stone
- albatrossLong-winged oceanic bird
shackles · yoke · anchor · drag · oppression · crushing · overwhelming · mounting
Required moral task
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- pledgeBinding promise given
promise · bond · covenant · honor · gratitude · repay · owe · beholden
loan
Borrowed money repaid later
default · bankruptcy · insolvency · liabilities · interest · lender · borrower · foreclosure · creditor · deficit
outstanding
Exceptionally good or unpaid
payable · unsettled · accrued · delinquent · owed · amounts · bills · balances · receivables · collectible
installments
Periodic partial payments
- amortizationGradual debt reduction schedule
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- payoffCulminating benefit received
clearance · liquidation · redemption · discharge · restructuring · forgiveness · relief · cancellation · deferment · forbearance
weight
Measure of heaviness
albatross · shackles · yoke · anchor · drag · oppression · crushing · overwhelming · mounting · crippling
duty
Required moral task
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
pledge · promise · bond · covenant · honor · gratitude · repay · owe · beholden · favor
- money owedbills, loans, IOUs, mortgages, arrears
- early bankingmoney changers, moneylenders, moneylending, money lending, loans
- Bible moneymammon, tithe, alms, mite, shekel
- probateexecutor, probate court, probate, beneficiary, executors
- Hammurabi's Codeeye for an eye, stele, cuneiform, Babylon, property law
- business lawbusiness law, commercial law, corporation, commercial code, S corp
debtssolvency
Capacity to pay debts
surplus · prosperity · abundance · financial freedom · profit
- in debtOwing money owed
- credit card debtMoney owed on plastic
- debt collectorOne who pursues repayment
- student debtBorrowed tuition funds owed
- debt of gratitude
- debt freeOwing no money