arrear

ar·rear

noun \ə-ˈrir\

Definition of ARREAR

1

: the state of being behind in the discharge of obligations —usually used in plural <in arrears with the rent>

2

a : an unfinished duty —usually used in plural <arrears of work that have piled up>

b : an unpaid and overdue debt —usually used in plural <paying off the arrears of the past several months>

Origin of ARREAR

Middle English arrere behind, backward, from Anglo-French arere, from Vulgar Latin *ad retro backward, from Latin ad to + retro backward, behind — more at at, retro-

First Known Use: 1620

Rhymes with ARREAR

adhere, Aesir, Ajmer, all clear, ambeer, appear, Asir, Ayrshire, besmear, by ear, Cape Fear, career, cashier, cashmere, Cheshire, chimere, clavier, cohere, compeer, destrier, dog-ear, emir, Empire, endear, ensphere, eyrir, Fafnir, footgear, frontier, gambier, Goodyear, headgear, inhere, Izmir, Kashmir, kefir, killdeer, Landseer, leap year, life peer, light-year, man-year, menhir, midyear, mishear, monsieur, mouse-ear, mule deer, musk deer, nadir, near beer, New Year, off year, out-year, pickeer, portiere, premier, premiere, red deer, redear, rehear, reindeer, revere, revers, Robespierre, roe deer, root beer, santir, severe, Shakespeare, sincere, slick-ear, small beer, spruce beer, steer clear, Tangier, tapir, tin ear, uprear, Vanir, veneer, Vermeer, vizier, voir dire, wheatear, Wiltshire, wind shear, wood ear, worm gear, Ymir, Yorkshire, zaire, Zaire