ˌnational ˈdebt BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
the total amount of money owed by the government of a country:
The government taxed fuel highly in order to finance the national debt.
ˌnational ˈdebt BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
the total amount of money owed by the government of a country:
The government taxed fuel highly in order to finance the national debt.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Longman - Словарь современного английского языка. 2012