arrearage
(əˈrɪərɪdʒ)
Forms: 3–7 arer-, 4 arrir-, 4–7 arrer-, 5 (arrage), 6 arear-, 7 arrier-, arrere-, arreer-, (arreage), 5– arrearage. See aphet. rearage.
[a. OF. arerage, f. arere behind, mod. arrérage; cf. avant-age, advantage.]
† 1. The state or condition of being behind, or in arrear, with the payment of what is due; indebtedness, debt. Obs.
| 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 319 Now salle I wite þe taile, & put þe in þe Arerage. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5913 Many in arrirage mon falle, And til perpetuele prison gang. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 604 Ther couthe noman bringe him in arrerage [v.r. a-rerage]. 1540 Elyot Image Govt. (1556) 79 Yf any were found in arrerage, he shuld..paye..four tymes as muche as the arrerage amounted to. 1608 2nd Pt. Def. Reasons Refus. Subscr. 238 For his daily borrowing of him, is likely to run into that arrerage that he will not easely gett out of his debt. a 1637 B. Jonson Epigr. i. (1692) 283 Th'art in arrearage grown Some hundred Quarrels. |
† b. with pl. in arrearages: in arrears. Obs.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xii. 297 So deepe in arerages. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. lxi. [lxiv.] 205 [He was] in his det in a grete some of money, longe renne in arrerages. 1605 Lond. Prodigal i. ii. 230 The rogue puts me in 'rearages for orient pearl. 1642 Rogers Naaman 614 Play most unfaithfull parts..and thus run into arrearedges. |
2. gen. Backwardness, state of being in arrear.
| 1576 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 298 Charging him with great arrearage of account. 1841 Miss Kemble Rec. Later Life II. 159 When such an arrearage took place, the fittest thing to do was to answer first those received first. 1883 A. S. Hardy But yet a Wom. 103 Practitioners who make up their arrearage in science by..wide experience. |
3. concr. That which is in arrear; an amount overdue, an outstanding or unpaid sum or balance.
| 1466 Paston Lett. 557 II. 289, Xxli., which I will be gathered of the arrerage of my lyvelode. 1483 Cath. Angl., An Arrerage [v.r. Arreage], erreragia. a 1500 Reg. Civ. Ebor. 366 a, The arrerage of the said fee ferme. 1617 Bacon in Fortesc. Papers 23 To continewe the payment of the anuetye..and allso to pay the arrerage thereof. 1790 Cowper Odyss. xxi. 18 Demanding payment of arrearage due. 1870 Daily News 21 Sept., The employers had no funds..and a large arrearage of wages accumulated. |
b. Something still in reserve.
| 1594 Drayton Idea 36 My Joyes arrerage leades me to my losse. 1854 De Quincey in Page Life (1877) II. xviii. 84 Which..leaves even to the thief a conscious arrearage of nobility and possible redemption. |
4. pl. Items overdue, outstanding amounts, arrears; esp. moneys overdue; debts; = arrear 7.
| c 1315 Shoreham, 96 Nere the milse and merci of God self..That wolle the arerages forȝeve. 1453 Test. Ebor. II. 191 All þarrages..to me dewe at my dethe. 1483 Arnold Chron. (1811) 271 First, the areragis of the last acompter. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. ii. iv. 13 He'le grant the Tribute, send th' Arrerages. 1637 Reliq. Wotton. (1672) 54 Such Arrearages as shall appear due unto me. 1691 Blount Law Dict., Arrearages, the Remain of an Accompt, or a Sum of Money remaining in the Hands of an Accomptant. It is sometimes used more generally for any Money unpaid at a due Time. 1850 W. Irving Granada 24 A formal demand for the payment of arrearages. |