debtor
(ˈdɛtə(r))
Forms: α. 3 dettor, 3–5 det(t)ur, 4–6 det(t)our, -or, 5 dettere, 6–7 detter; β. 6–7 debtor, 7 -our, 6– -or. See also debitor.
[ME. det(t)ur, -our, a. OF. det(t)or, -ur, -our (later detteur, debteur):—L. dēbitōr-em, acc. of dēbitor (whence OF. det(t)re). In later OF. often artificially spelt with b, after L.; in Eng. the b was inserted between 1560 and 1668, being first prevalent in legal documents, where it was probably assisted by the parallel form debitor. (The Bible of 1611 has detter, debter, each thrice: debtor twice, debtour once.)]
1. One who owes or is indebted to another: a. One who owes money to one or more persons: correlative to creditor.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 465/117 An vsurer..þat hadde dettores tweyne. 1387 Trevisa Higden III. 189 (Mätz), Þe dettoures myȝte nouȝt pay here money at here day. 1464 Mann. & Househ. Exp. 102 Thomas Hoo is become detor to my sayd mastyre. 1535 Coverdale 2 Kings iv. 1 Now commeth the man that he was detter vnto. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 360 The Admyrall became debter to them all..Suche summes of money as he was become debtor for. 1611 Bible Luke xvi. 5 So he called euery one of his lords detters vnto him [so all 16th c. vv.; Wyclif dettours]. 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 59 Dettors and delinquents may walk abroad without a keeper. 1745 De Foe's Eng. Tradesman v. (1841) I. 34 Acts of grace for the relief of insolvent debtors. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. iii. i, Pubsey & Co., are so strict with their debtors. 1875 Maine Hist. Inst. ix. 257 Execution against the person of a judgment debtor. |
b. One who owes an obligation or duty.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 126 Louerd, we siggeð forᵹif us ure dettes, al so ase we uorᵹiueð to ure detturs. 1382 Wyclif Matt. vi. 12 Forȝeue to vs oure dettes as we forᵹeue to oure dettours [1388 -ouris, Coverd., Cranmer, Rhem., detters, Geneva, 1611, debters]. ― Rom. i. 14 To Grekis and barbaryns..to wyse men and vnwyse men, I am dettour. a 1535 More De quat. Nouiss. Wks. 91 To whom we be al dettours of death. 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1155 When life is sham'd, and death Reproches detter. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1726) 10 Of joy ungrudg'd may each Day be a Debter. 1653 Walton Angler i. 38, I must be your Debtor..for the rest of my promised discourse. a 1677 Barrow Wks. (1716) II. 140 He being..master of all things and debtour to none. 1847 Tennyson Princ. ii. 334 Debtors for our lives to you. |
c. poor debtor (
U.S.): One who, being imprisoned in a civil action for debt, is, under the laws of several States, entitled to be discharged after a short period, on proof of poverty, etc.
| 1831 W. L. Garrison in Liberator I. 28 The Poor Debtor. |
2. Book-keeping.
Debtor (or
Dr.) being written at the top of the left-hand or debit side of an account is hence applied to this side of an account, or to what is entered there.
| [1543–1660: see debitor.] 1714 (title), The Gentleman Accomptant or an Essay to Unfold the Mystery of Accompts, by Way of Debtor and Creditor. 1745 [see creditor 2]. 1836 Penny Cycl. V. 164/1 Exacting..equilibrium between debtor and creditor in each entry. |
| attrib. [1588: see debitor.] 1712 Addison Spect. No. 549 ¶1 When I look upon the Debtor-side, I find such innumerable Articles, that I want Arithmetick to cast them up. 1836 Penny Cycl. V. 164/1 All the debtor accounts on one side, compared with..the creditor accounts on the other. 1866 C. W. Hoskyns Occas. Ess. 133 Every human right, however absolute and accredited, has its corresponding debtor-page of duty and obligation. |
3. attrib. and
Comb., as
debtor law,
debtor country;
debtor side, etc. (see 2);
debtor-like adj.| 1669 Dryden Tyran. Love v. i, Debtor-like, I dare not meet your eyes. 1810 Minchin (title), A Treatise on the Defects of the Debtor and Creditor Laws. 1881 H. H. Gibbs Double Stand. 68 The debtor country..will pay its debts in Silver. |
Hence
ˈdebtorship.
| 1798 H. T. Colebrooke tr. Digest Hindu Law (1801) I. 7 The debtorship of others than women, or the like. 1859 G. Meredith R. Feverel I. ix. 173 Without incurring further debtorship. |