Money that is owed and overdue for payment, or the state of being behind on obligations.
From Old French 'arere,' derived from Latin 'ad retro' meaning toward the back or behind. The word entered English to describe debts that had fallen behind.
The concept of 'arrears' has caused entire societies to collapse—debtors' prisons once warehoused thousands, and today, wage garnishment for arrears still affects millions, showing how a simple accounting concept can destroy lives.
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