(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
A ~ is the amount by which something is less than what is required or expected, especially the amount by which the total money received is less than the total money spent.
They’re ready to cut the federal budget ~ for the next fiscal year.
N-COUNT: oft n N
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If an account or organization is in ~, more money has been spent than has been received.
The current account of the balance of payments is in ~.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR