arrear

Etymology

From Middle English arere, from Old French arere, from Vulgar Latin *ad retro (literally “to the rear”).

adv

1. (obsolete) Towards the rear, backwards.
   She, (Ladie) having well before approoved / The feends to be too cruell and severe, / Observ'd th' appointed way, as her behooved, / Ne ever did her ey-sight turne arere …. 1591, Edmund Spenser, Virgil's Gnat, ll. 465-8
2. (obsolete) Behind time; overdue.
   In case the annuity should be arrear for sixty days being lawfully demanded, then the trustee might enter upon the premises assigned …. 1803, Edward Hyde East, Reports of cases Argued and determined in the Court of King's Bench, volume 3, London, published 1814, page 559

noun

1. Work to be done, obligation.
   November 4, 1866, James David Forbes, letter to E. C. Batten I have a large arrear of letters to write.
   After World War II it took time to clear up the arrears of track maintenance on both lines and it was not until 1953 that the L.M.R. restored any two-hour schedules, the W.R. following suit a year later. 1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London-Birmingham services - Past, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 98
2. Unpaid debt.
   fall into arrears
   I know the debt is in arrears / The dog has not been fed in years / It's even worse than it appears, but / It's alright 1987, Grateful Dead (lyrics and music), “Touch of Grey”, in In the Dark
3. That which is in the rear or behind.