Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter D - Page 10
Deathwatch (n.) (Zool.) The guard set over a criminal before his execution.
Deathwatch (n.) Minute wingless psocopterous insects injurious to books and papers [syn: booklouse, book louse, deathwatch, Liposcelis divinatorius].
Compare: Psocopterous insects
Psocopterous insect (n.) Small soft-bodied insect with chewing mouthparts and either no wings or two pairs.
Deathwatch (n.) Bores through wood making a ticking sound popularly thought to presage death [syn: deathwatch beetle, deathwatch, Xestobium rufovillosum].
Deathwatch (in British English) (n.) A vigil held beside a dying or dead person.
Deathwatch (in British English) (n.) D eathwatch beetle.
Deaurate (a.) Gilded. [Obs.]
Deaurate (v. t.) To gild. [Obs.] -- Bailey.
Deauration (n.) Act of gilding. [Obs.]
Deave (v. t.) To stun or stupefy with noise; to deafen. [Scot.]
Debacchate (v. i.) To rave as a bacchanal. [R.] -- Cockeram.
Debacchation (n.) Wild raving or debauchery. [R.] -- Prynne.
Debacle (n.) (Geol.) 災害；瓦解；崩潰；狂流 A breaking or bursting forth; a violent rush or flood of waters which breaks down opposing barriers, and hurls forward and disperses blocks of stone and other debris.
Debacle (n.) A sudden breaking up or breaking loose; a violent dispersion or disruption; impetuous rush; outburst.
Debacle (n.) A complete and ludicrous failure; a rout, as of an army; a great disaster; a fiasco.
Debacle (n.) A sudden and violent collapse [syn: debacle, fiasco].
Debacle (n.) Flooding caused by a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river during the spring or summer.
Debacle (n.) A sound defeat [syn: thrashing, walloping, debacle, drubbing, slaughter, trouncing, whipping].
Debarred (imp. & p. p.) of Debar.
Debarring (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debar.
Debar (v. t.) To cut off from entrance, as if by a bar or barrier; to preclude; to hinder from approach, entry, or enjoyment; to shut out or exclude; to deny or refuse; -- with from, and sometimes with of.
Yet not so strictly hath our Lord imposed Labor, as to debar us when we need Refreshment. -- Milton.
Their wages were so low as to debar them, not only from the comforts but from the common decencies of civilized life. -- Buckle.
Debar (v.) Bar temporarily; from school, office, etc. [syn: suspend, debar].
Debar (v.) Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike" [syn: debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off].
Debar (v.) Prevent from entering; keep out; "He was barred from membership in the club" [syn: bar, debar, exclude].
Debarb (v. t.) To deprive of the beard. [Obs.] -- Bailey.
Debarked (imp. & p. p.) of Debark.
Debarking (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debark.
Debark (v. t. & i.) To go ashore from a ship or boat; to disembark; to put ashore.
Debark (v.) Go ashore; "The passengers disembarked at Southampton" [syn: disembark, debark, set down] [ant: embark, ship].
Debarkation (n.) Disembarkation.
The debarkation, therefore, had to take place by small steamers. -- U. S. Grant.
Debarkation (n.) The act of passengers and crew getting off of a ship or aircraft [syn: debarkation, disembarkation, disembarkment] [ant: boarding, embarkation, embarkment].
Debarment (n.) 排除；阻止；禁止 Hindrance from approach; exclusion.
Debarment (n.) The state of being debarred (excluded from enjoying certain possessions or rights or practices)
Debarment (n.) The act of prevention by legal means; "they achieved his debarment from holding public office".
Debarrass (v. t.) 解圍 To disembarrass; to relieve. [R.]
Debased (imp. & p. p.) of Debase.
Debasing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debase.
Debase (a.) 降低（品質、價值等）；貶低（人格）；使（貨幣）貶值 To reduce from a higher to a lower state or grade of worth, dignity, purity, station, etc.; to degrade; to lower; to deteriorate; to abase; as, to debase the character by crime; to debase the mind by frivolity; to debase style by vulgar words.
The coin which was adulterated and debased. -- Hale.
It is a kind of taking God's name in vain to debase religion with such frivolous disputes. -- Hooker.
And to debase the sons, exalts the sires. -- Pope.
Syn: To abase; degrade. See Abase.
Debase (v.) Corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals" [syn: corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize, demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave, misdirect].
Debase (v.) Lower in value by
increasing the base-metal content [syn: debase, alloy].
Debase (v.) Corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign
or inferior
substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones;
"adulterate liquor" [syn: load, adulterate, stretch, dilute,
debase].
Debased (a.) (Her.) Turned upside down from its proper position; inverted; reversed.
Debased (a.) Mixed with impurities [syn: adulterate, adulterated, debased].
Debased (a.) Lowered in value; "the dollar is low"; "a debased currency" [syn: debased, devalued, degraded].
Debased (a.) Ruined in character or quality [syn: corrupted, debased, vitiated].
Debasement (n.) The act of debasing or the state of being debased. -- Milton.
Debasement (n.) Being mixed with extraneous material; the product of adulterating [syn: adulteration, debasement].
Debasement (n.) Changing to a lower state (a less respected state) [syn: degradation, debasement].
Debaser (n.) One who, or that which, debases.
Debaser (n.) A person who lowers the quality or character or value (as by adding cheaper metal to coins) [syn: debaser, degrader].
Debasingly (adv.) In a manner to debase.
Debatable (a.) Liable to be debated; disputable; subject to controversy or contention; open to question or dispute; as, a debatable question.
The Debatable Land or or Ground, a tract of land between the Esk and the Sark, claimed by both England and Scotland; the Batable Ground.
Debatable (a.) Open to doubt or debate; "If you ever get married, which seems to be extremely problematic" [syn: debatable, problematic, problematical].
Debatable (a.) Open to argument or debate; "that is a moot question" [syn: arguable, debatable, disputable, moot].
Debatable (a.) Capable of being disproved [syn: debatable, disputable].
Debated (imp. & p. p.) of Debate.
Debating (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debate.
Debate (v. t.) 辯論，討論，爭論 [+wh-]；與……辯論 To engage in combat for; to strive for.
Volunteers . . . thronged to serve under his banner, and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardor in Spain as on the plains of Palestine. -- Prescott.
Debate (v. t.) To contend for in words or arguments; to strive to maintain by reasoning; to dispute; to contest; to discuss; to argue for and against.
A wise council . . . that did debate this business. -- Shak.
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself. -- Prov. xxv. 9.
Syn: To argue; discuss; dispute; controvert. See Argue, and Discuss.
Debate (v. i.) 辯論，討論，爭論；參加辯論 To engage in strife or combat; to fight. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Well could he tourney and in lists debate. -- Spenser.
Debate (v. i.) To contend in words; to dispute; hence, to deliberate; to consider; to discuss or examine different arguments in the mind; -- often followed by on or upon.
He presents that great soul debating upon the subject of life and death with his intimate friends. -- Tatler.
Debate (n.) A fight or fighting; contest; strife. [Archaic]
On the day of the Trinity next ensuing was a great debate . . . and in that murder there were slain . . . fourscore. -- R. of Gloucester.
But question fierce and proud reply Gave signal soon of dire debate. -- Sir W. Scott.
Debate (n.) Contention in words or arguments; discussion for the purpose of elucidating truth or influencing action; strife in argument; controversy; as, the debates in Parliament or in Congress.
Heard, noted, answer'd, as in full debate. -- Pope.
Debate (n.) Subject of discussion. [R.]
Statutes and edicts concerning this debate. -- Milton.
Debate (n.) A discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal; "the argument over foreign aid goes on and on" [syn: argument, argumentation, debate].
Debate (n.) The formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote) [syn: debate, disputation, public debate].
Debate (v.) Argue with one another; "We debated the question of abortion"; "John debated Mary".
Debate (v.) Think about carefully; weigh; "They considered the possibility of a strike"; "Turn the proposal over in your mind" [syn: consider, debate, moot, turn over, deliberate].
Debate (v.) Discuss the pros and cons of an issue [syn: debate, deliberate].
Debate (v.) Have an argument about something [syn: argue, contend, debate, fence].
Debate, () legislation, practice. A contestation between two or more persons, in which they take different sides of a question, and maintain them, respectively, by facts and arguments; or it is a discussion, in writing, of some contested point.
Debate, () The debate should be conducted with fairness, candor and decorum, and supported by facts and arguments founded in reason; when, in addition, it is ornamented by learning, and decorated by the powers of rhetoric, it becomes eloquent and persuasive. It is essential that the power of debate should be free, in order to an energetic discharge of his duty by the debator.
Debate, () The Constitution of the United States, art. 1, s. 6, provides, that for any speech or debate, in either house, the senators and representatives shall not be questioned in any other place.
Debate, () It is a rule of the common law, that counsel may, in, the discharge of professional duty, use strong epithets, however derogatory to the character of the opponent, or his attorney, or other agent or witness, in commenting on the facts of the case, if pertinent to the cause, and stated in his instructions, without any liability to any action for the supposed slander, whether the thing stated were true or false. 1 B. & Ald. 232; 3 Dow's R. 273, 277, 279; 7 Bing. R. 459; S. C. 20 E. C. L. R. 198. Respectable and sensible counsel, however, will always refrain from the indulgence of any unjust severity, both on their own personal account, and because browbeating a witness, or other person, will injuriously affect their case in the eyes of a respectable court and jury. 3 Chit. Pr. 887, 8.
Debate (n.) [ C or U ] (B2) 談論，討論；爭論，辯論 (a) Serious discussion of a subject in which many people take part.
// Education is the current focus of public debate.
// How we proceed from here is a matter for debate.
// Over the year we have had several debates about future policy.
Debate (v.) (C2) [ I or T ] 討論；爭論 To discuss a subject in a formal way.
// In Parliament today, MPs debated the Finance Bill.
// They had been debating for several hours without reaching a conclusion.
// [ + question word ] The authorities debated whether to build a new car park.
Debate (v.) [ T ] 斟酌；考慮 To try to make a decision about something.
// [ + question word ] We debated whether to take the earlier train.
// I'm still debating what colour to paint the walls.
Debateful (a.) Full of contention; contentious; quarrelsome. [Obs.] -- Spenser.
Debatefully (adv.) With contention. [Obs.]
Debatement (n.) Controversy; deliberation; debate. [R.]
A serious question and debatement with myself. -- Milton.
Debater (n.) One who debates; one given to argument; a disputant; a controvertist.
Debate where leisure serves with dull debaters. -- Shak.
Debater (n.) Someone who engages in debate [syn: debater, arguer].
Debating (n.) The act of discussing or arguing; discussion.
Debating society or Debating club, a society or club for the purpose of debate and improvement in extemporaneous speaking.
Debatingly (adv.) In the manner of a debate.
Debauched (imp. & p. p.) of Debauch.
Debauching (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debauch.
Debauch (v. t. & i.) To lead away from purity or excellence; to corrupt in character or principles; to mar; to vitiate; to pollute; to seduce; as, to debauch one's self by intemperance; to debauch a woman; to debauch an army.
Learning not debauched by ambition. -- Burke.
A man must have got his conscience thoroughly debauched and hardened before he can arrive to the height of sin. -- South.
Her pride debauched her judgment and her eyes. -- Cowley.
Debauch (n.) Excess in eating or drinking; intemperance; drunkenness; lewdness; debauchery.
The first physicians by debauch were made. -- Dryden.
Debauch (n.) An act or occasion of debauchery.
Silenus, from his night's debauch, Fatigued and sick. -- Cowley.
Debauch (n.) A wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity [syn: orgy, debauch, debauchery, saturnalia, riot, bacchanal, bacchanalia, drunken revelry].
Debauch (v.) Corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals" [syn: corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize, demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave, misdirect].
Debauched (a.) Dissolute; dissipated. "A coarse and debauched look." -- Ld. Lytton.
Debauched (a.) Unrestrained by convention or morality; "Congreve draws a debauched aristocratic society"; "deplorably dissipated and degraded"; "riotous living"; "fast women" [syn: debauched, degenerate, degraded, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, profligate, riotous, fast].
Debauchedly (adv.) In a profligate manner.
Debauchedness (n.) The state of being debauched; intemperance. -- Bp. Hall.
Debauchee (n.) One who is given to intemperance or bacchanalian excesses; a man habitually lewd; a libertine.
Debauchee (n.) A dissolute person; usually a man who is morally unrestrained [syn: libertine, debauchee, rounder].
Debauchee, (n.) One who has so earnestly pursued pleasure that he has had the misfortune to overtake it.
Debaucher (n.) One who debauches or corrupts others; especially, a seducer to lewdness.
Debaucher (n.) Someone who assaults others sexually [syn: violator, debaucher, ravisher].
Debaucheries (n. pl. ) of Debauchery.
Debauchery (n.) Corruption of fidelity; seduction from virtue, duty, or allegiance.
The republic of Paris will endeavor to complete the debauchery of the army. -- Burke.
Debauchery (n.) Excessive indulgence of the appetites; especially, excessive indulgence of lust; intemperance; sensuality; habitual lewdness.
Oppose . . . debauchery by temperance. -- Sprat.
Debauchment (n.) The act of corrupting; the act of seducing from virtue or duty.
Debauchness (n.) Debauchedness. [Obs.]
Debeige (n.) A kind of woolen or mixed dress goods. [Written also debage.]
Debel (v. t.) To conquer. [Obs.] --Milton.
Debellate (v. t.) To subdue; to conquer in war. [Obs.] -- Speed.
Debellation (n.) The act of conquering or subduing. [Obs.]
De bene esse, () [L.] (Law) Of well being; of formal sufficiency for the time; conditionally; provisionally. -- Abbott.
De bene esse, () practice. A technical phrase applied to certain proceedings which are deemed to be well done for the present, or until an exception or other avoidance, that is, conditionally, and in that meaning the phrase is usually accepted. For example, a declaration is filed or delivered, special bail put in, witness examined, &c. de bene esse, or conditionally; good for the present.
De bene esse, () When a judge has a doubt as to the propriety of finding a verdict, h(, may direct the jury to find one de bene esse; which verdict, if the court shall afterwards be of opinion it ought to have been found, shall stand. Bac. Ab. Verdict, A. Vide 11 S. & R. 84.
De bene esse (adv.) 附有條件地 Is a Latin legal term meaning of well being. It can refer to various acts which are conditional, provisional or anticipatory.
Debenture (n.) 【主英】公司債券；（海關的）退稅證明書 A writing acknowledging a debt; a writing or certificate signed by a public officer, as evidence of a debt due to some person; the sum thus due.
Debenture (n.) A customhouse certificate entitling an exporter of imported goods to a drawback of duties paid on their importation. -- Burrill.
Note: It is applied in England to deeds of mortgage given by railway companies for borrowed money; also to municipal and other bonds and securities for money loaned.
Debenture (n.) Any of various instruments issued, esp. by corporations, as evidences of debt. Such instruments (often called debenture bonds) are generally, through not necessarily, under seal, and are usually secured by a mortgage or other charge upon property; they may be registered or unregistered. A debenture secured by a mortgage on specific property is called a mortgage debenture; one secured by a floating charge (which see), a floating debenture; one not secured by any charge a naked debenture. In general the term debenture in British usage designates any security issued by companies other than their shares, including, therefore, what are in the United States commonly called bonds. When used in the United States debenture generally designates an instrument secured by a floating charge junior to other charges secured by fixed mortgages, or, specif., one of a series of securities secured by a group of securities held in trust for the benefit of the debenture holders.
Debenture (n.) The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future [syn: unsecured bond, debenture, debenture bond] [ant: secured bond].
Debenture (n.) A certificate or voucher acknowledging a debt.
Debenture. () A certificate given, in pursuance of law, by the collector of a port of entry, for a certain sum, due by the United States, payable at a time therein mentioned, to an importer for drawback of duties on merchandise imported and exported by him, provided the duties arising on the importation of the said merchandise shall have been discharged prior to the time aforesaid. Vide Act of Congress of March 2, 1799, s. 80; Encyclopedie, h.t.; Dane's Ab. Index, h.t.
Debentured (a.) Entitled to drawback or debenture; as, debentured goods.
Debile (a.) Weak. [Obs.] -- Shak.
Debile (a.) Lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality; "a feeble old woman"; "her body looked sapless" [syn: decrepit, debile, feeble, infirm, rickety, sapless, weak, weakly].
Debilitant (a.) Diminishing the energy of organs; reducing excitement; as, a debilitant drug.
Debilitated (imp. & p. p.) of Debilitate.
Debilitating (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debilitate.
Debilitate (v. t.) 使衰弱 To impair the strength of; to weaken; to enfeeble; as, to debilitate the body by intemperance.
Various ails debilitate the mind. -- Jenyns.
The debilitated frame of Mr. Bertram was exhausted by this last effort. -- Sir W. Scott.
Debilitate (v.) Make weak; "Life in the camp drained him" [syn: {enfeeble}, {debilitate}, {drain}].
Debilitation (n.) The act or process of debilitating, or the condition of one who is debilitated; weakness.
Debilitation (n.) Serious weakening and loss of energy [syn: debilitation, enervation, enfeeblement, exhaustion].
Debility (n.) The state of being weak; weakness; feebleness; languor.
The inconveniences of too strong a perspiration, which are debility, faintness, and sometimes sudden death. -- Arbuthnot.
Syn: Debility, Infirmity, Imbecility.
Usage: An infirmity belongs, for the most part, to particular members, and is often temporary, as of the eyes, etc. Debility is more general, and while it lasts impairs the ordinary functions of nature. Imbecility attaches to the whole frame, and renders it more or less powerless. Debility may be constitutional or may be the result or superinduced causes; Imbecility is always constitutional; infirmity is accidental, and results from sickness or a decay of the frame. These words, in their figurative uses, have the same distinctions; we speak of infirmity of will, debility of body, and an Imbecility which affects the whole man; but Imbecility is often used with specific reference to feebleness of mind.
Debility (n.) The state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age) [syn: infirmity, frailty, debility, feebleness, frailness, valetudinarianism].
Debit (n.) A debt; an entry on the debtor (Dr.) side of an account; -- mostly used adjectively; as, the debit side of an account.
Debited (imp. & p. p.) of Debit.
Debiting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debit.
Debit (v. t.) To charge with debt; -- the opposite of, and correlative to, credit; as, to debit a purchaser for the goods sold.
Debit (v. t.) (Bookkeeping) To enter on the debtor (Dr.) side of an account; as, to debit the amount of goods sold.
Debit (n.) An accounting entry acknowledging sums that are owing [syn: debit, debit entry] [ant: credit, credit entry].
Debit (v.) Enter as debit [ant: credit].
Debit, () accounts, commerce. A term used in bookkeeping, to express the left-hand page of the ledger, to which are carried all the articles supplied or paid on the subject of an account, or that are charged to that account. It also signifies the balance of an account.
Debitor (n.) A debtor. [Obs.] -- Shak.
Debitor (n.) A person who owes a creditor; someone who has the obligation of paying a debt [syn: debtor, debitor] [ant: creditor].
Debituminization (n.) The act of depriving of bitumen.
Debituminize (v. t.) To deprive of bitumen.
D'eblai (n.) [F.] (Fort.) The cavity from which the earth for parapets, etc. (remblai), is taken.
Debonair (a.) Characterized by courteousness, affability, or gentleness; of good appearance and manners; graceful; complaisant.
Was never prince so meek and debonair. -- Spenser.
Debonair (a.) Having a sophisticated charm; "a debonair gentleman" [syn: debonair, debonaire, debonnaire, suave].
Debonair (a.) Having a cheerful, lively, and self-confident air; "looking chipper, like a man...diverted by his own wit" -- Frances G.
Patton; "life that is gay, brisk, and debonair" -- H.M.Reynolds; "walked with a jaunty step"; "a jaunty
optimist" [syn: chipper, debonair, debonaire, jaunty].
Debonair (a.) Of a man : Dressing and acting in an appealing and sophisticated way : fashionable, attractive, and confident.
Debonair (a.) archaic : Gentle, courteous.
Debonair (a.) Suave, urbane <a debonair performer>.
Debonair (a.) Lighthearted, nonchalant. -- debonairly (adv.) -- debonairness (n.)
Debonairity (n.) Debonairness. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Debonairly (adv.) Courteously; elegantly.
Debonairness (n.) The quality of being debonair; good humor; gentleness; courtesy. -- Sterne.
Debosh (v. t.) To debauch. [Obs.] "A deboshed lady." -- Beau. & Fl.
Deboshment (n.) Debauchment. [Obs.]
Debouched (imp. & p. p.) of Debouch.
Debouching (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Debouch.
Debouch (v. i.) 進出於（廣闊地方）；（河川向廣闊處）流出 To march out from a wood, defile, or other confined spot, into open ground; to issue.
Battalions debouching on the plain. -- Prescott.
Debouch (v. i.) (Geog.) To issue; -- said of a stream passing from a gorge out into an open valley or a plain.
Debouch (v.) March out (as from a defile) into open ground; "The regiments debouched from the valley" [syn: debouch, march out].
Debouch (v.) Pass out or emerge; especially of rivers; "The tributary debouched into the big river".
Debouche (n.) [F.] A place for exit; an outlet; hence, a market for goods.
The d['e]bouch['e]s were ordered widened to afford easy egress. -- The Century.
Debouchure (n.) [F.] The outward opening of a river, of a valley, or of a strait.
Debris (n.) (Geol.) 碎片，殘骸 Broken and detached fragments, taken collectively; especially, fragments detached from a rock or mountain, and piled up at the base.
Debris (n.) Rubbish, especially such as results from the destruction of anything; remains; ruins.
Debris (n.) The remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up [syn: {debris}, {dust}, {junk}, {rubble}, {detritus}].
Debruised (a.) (Her.) Surmounted by an ordinary; as, a lion is debruised when a bend or other ordinary is placed over it, as in the cut.
The lion of England and the lilies of France without the baton sinister, under which, according to the laws of heraldry, they where debruised in token of his illegitimate birth. -- Macaulay.
Debt (n.) That which is due from one person to another, whether money, goods, or services; that which one person is bound to pay to another, or to perform for his benefit; thing owed; obligation; liability.
Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt. -- Shak.
When you run in debt, you give to another power over your liberty. -- Franklin.
Debt (n.) A duty neglected or violated; a fault; a sin; a trespass. "Forgive us our debts." -- Matt. vi. 12.
Debt (n.) (Law) An action at law to recover a certain specified sum of money alleged to be due. -- Burrill.
Bond debt, Book debt, etc. See under Bond, Book, etc.
Debt of nature, death.
Debt (n.) The state of owing something (especially money); "he is badly in debt".
Debt (n.) Money or goods or services owed by one person to another.
Debt (n.) An obligation to pay or do something.
Debt, () The Mosaic law encouraged the practice of lending (Deut. 15:7; Ps. 37:26; Matt. 5:42); but it forbade the exaction of interest except from foreigners. Usury was strongly condemned (Prov. 28:8; Ezek. 18:8, 13, 17; 22:12; Ps. 15:5). On the Sabbatical year all pecuniary obligations were cancelled (Deut. 15:1-11). These regulations prevented the accumulation of debt.
DEBT, () contracts. A sum of money due by certain and express agreement. 3 Bl. Com. 154. In a less technical sense, as in the "act to regulate arbitrations and proceedings in courts of justice" of Pennsylvania, passed the 21st of March, 1806, s. 5, it means an claim for money. In a still more enlarged sense, it denotes any kind of a just demand; as, the debts of a bankrupt. 4 S. & R. 506.
DEBT, () Debts arise or are proved by matter of record, as judgment debts; by bonds or specialties; and by simple contracts, where the quantity is fixed and specific, and does not depend upon any future valuation to settle it. 3 Bl. Com. 154; 2 Hill. R. 220.
DEBT, () According to the civilians, debts are divided into active and passive. By the former is meant what is due to us, by the latter, what we owe. By liquid debt, they understand one, the payment of which may be immediately enforced, and not one which is due at a future time, or is subject to a condition; by hypothecary debt is meant, one which is a lien over an estate and a doubtful debt, is one the payment of which is uncertain. Clef des Lois Rom. h.t.
DEBT, () Debts are discharged in various ways, but principally by payment. See Accord and Satisfaction; Bankruptcy; Confusion Compensation; Delegation; Defeasance; Discharge of a contract; Extinction; Extinguishment; Former recovery; Lapse of time; Novation; Payment; Release; Rescission; Set off.
DEBT, () In payment of debts, some are to be paid before others, in cases of insolvent estates first, in consequence of the character of the creditor, as debts due to the United States are generally to be first paid; and secondly, in consequence of the nature of the debt, as funeral expenses and servants' wages, which are generally paid in preference to other debts. See Preference; Privilege; Priority.
DEBT, () remedies. The name of an action used for the recovery of a debt eo nomine and in numero though damages are generally awarded for the detention of the debt; these are, however, in most instances, merely nominal. 1 H. Bl. 550; Bull. N. P. 167 Cowp. 588.
DEBT, () The subject will be considered with reference, 1. To the kind of claim or obligation on which this action may be maintained. 2. The form of the declaration. 3. The plea. 4. The judgment.
DEBT, () Debt is a more extensive remedy for the recovery of money than assumpsit or covenant, for it lies to recover money due upon legal liabilities, as, for money lent, paid, had and received, due on an account stated; Com. Dig. Dett, A; for work and labor, or for the price of goods, and a quantum valebant thereon; Com. Dig. Dett, B Holt, 206; or upon simple contracts, express or implied, whether verbal or written, or upon contracts under seal, or of record, or by a common informer, whenever the demand for a sum is certain, or is capable of being reduced to certainty. Bull. N. P. 167. It also lies to recover money due on, any specialty or contract under seal to pay money. Str. 1089; Com. Dig. Dett, A 4; 1 T. R. 40. This action lies on a record, or upon a judgment of a court of record; Gilb. Debt, 891; Salk. 109; 17 S. & R. 1; or upon a foreign judgment. 3 Shepl. 167; 3 Brev. 395. Debt is a frequent remedy on statutes, either at the suit of the party grieved, or of a common informer. Com. Dig. Action on Statute, E; Bac. Ab. Debt, A. See, generally, Bouv. Inst. Index, h.t.; Com. Dig. h.t.; Dane's Ab. h.t.. Vin. Ab. h.t.; Chit. Pl. 100 to 109; Selw. N. P. 553 to 682; Leigh's N. P. Index, h.t. Debt also lies, in the detinet, for goods; which action differs from detinue, because it is not essential in this action, as in detinue, that the property in any specific goods should be vested in the plaintiff, at the time the action is brought; Dy. 24 b; and debt in the debet and detinet may be maintained on an instrument by which the defendant is bound to pay a sum of money lent, which might have been discharged, on or before the day of payment, in articles of merchandise. 4 Yerg. R. 171; see, Com. Dig. Dett, A 5; Bac. Ab. Debt, F; 3 Wood. 103, 4; 1 Dall. R. 458.
DEBT, () When the action is on a simple contract, the declaration must show the consideration of the contract, precisely as in assumpsit; and it should state either a legal liability or an express agreement, though not a promise to pay the debt. 2 T. R. 28, 30. When the action is founded on a specialty or record, no consideration need be shown, unless the performance of the consideration constitutes a condition precedent, when performance of such consideration must be averred. When the action is founded on a deed, it must be declared upon, except in the case of debt for rent. 1 New R. 104.
DEBT, () The plea to an action of debt is either general or special. 1. The plea of general issue to debt on simple contracts, or on statutes, or when the deed is only matter of inducement, is nil debet. See Nil debet. In general, when the action is on a specialty, the plea denying the existence of the contract is non est factum; 2 Ld. Raym. 1500; to debt on record, nul tiel record. 16 John. 55. Other matters must, in general, be pleaded specially.
DEBT, () For the form of the judgment, see Judgment in debt. Vide Remedy.
DEBT (n.) An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slave-driver.
As, pent in an aquarium, the troutlet Swims round and round his tank to find an outlet, Pressing his nose against the glass that holds him, Nor ever sees the prison that enfolds him; So the poor debtor, seeing naught around him, Yet feels the narrow limits that impound him, Grieves at his debt and studies to evade it, And finds at last he might as well have paid it. Barlow S. Vode
Debted (p. a.) Indebted; obliged to. [R.]
I stand debted to this gentleman. -- Shak.
Debtee (n.) (Law) One to whom a debt is due; creditor; -- correlative to debtor. -- Blackstone.
DEBTEE. () One to whom a debt is due a creditor, as, debtee executor. 3 Bl. Com. 18.
Debtless (a.) Free from debt. -- Chaucer.