/ əˈrɪəz; NAmE əˈrɪrz/ noun
[ pl. ] money that sb owes that they have not paid at the right time :
rent / mortgage / tax arrears
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IDIOMS
- be in arrears | get / fall into arrears
- in arrears
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (first used in the phrase in arrear ): from arrear (adverb) behind, overdue , from Old French arere , from medieval Latin adretro , from ad- towards + retro backwards.