arrear

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈɹɪə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈɹɪɹ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

Adverb

arrear (comparative more arrear, superlative most arrear)

1. (obsolete) Towards the rear, backwards. [14th–16th c.]
   • 1591, Edmund Spenser, Virgil's Gnat, ll. 465-8:

     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 [...].

2. (obsolete) Behind time; overdue. [15th–19th c.]
   • 1803, Edward Hyde East, Reports of cases Argued and determined in the Court of King's Bench, volume 3, London, published 1814, page 559:

     In case the annuity should be arrear for sixty days being lawfully demanded, then the trustee might enter upon the premises assigned [...].

Noun

arrear (plural arrears)

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.

   • 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable and Company, […], →OCLC:

     My own work, with its manifold arrears, took me all day to clear off.

   • 1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London-Birmingham services - Past, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 98:

     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.

2. Unpaid debt.

   fall into arrears

   • 1987, Grateful Dead, “Touch of Grey”, in In the Dark:

     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

3. That which is in the rear or behind.

Derived terms

• arrears

Translations

work to be done

• Czech: rest (cs) m
• Dutch: achterstand (nl)
• Finnish: rästi (fi), rästityö, tekemätön työ
• French: arriéré (fr)
• Hungarian: elmaradás (hu), lemaradás (hu), restancia (hu)
• Italian: arretrato (it)
• Polish: zaległości nvir pl
• Russian: обязанность (ru) (objazannostʹ), завал (ru) m (zaval) (informal)
• Swedish: beting (sv) n, bakläxa (sv) c

unpaid debt

• Armenian: ապառք (hy) (apaṙkʻ)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 拖欠 (to¹ him³)

• Czech: nedoplatek m, prodlení n
• Danish: (udestående, ubetalt) gæld (da) c
• Dutch: achterstallige betaling
• Finnish: erääntynyt velka; verojäämä (tax debt)
• French: arriéré (fr)
• German: Rückstand (de) m, Zahlungsrückstand (de) m
• Hungarian: hátralék (hu), elmaradás (hu)
• Irish: riaráiste m
• Japanese: 滞納 (ja) (tainō)
• Māori: utu tārewa
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: utestående, restanse m, betalingsetterskudd, ubetalt gjeld m or f

• Polish: zaległości płatnicze nvir pl
• Portuguese: atrasdos m pl
• Punjabi: ਬਾਕੀ f (bākī)
• Russian: задолженность (ru) (zadolžennostʹ)
• Spanish: deuda vencida f, atrasos (es) m pl, pago atrasado m, mora (es) f
• Swedish: (återstående (sv), utestående (sv), obetald (sv)) skuld (sv) c, efterskott n
• Tarifit: amerwas m
• Turkish: bakiye (tr), ödenmemiş borç

rear part

• Polish: tylna część f
• Spanish: atras; detras

Portuguese

Etymology

Possibly from a Vulgar Latin *arredāre (“arrange, provide”), from Gothic *𐍂𐌴𐌸𐍃 (*rēþs, “advice”).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.ʁeˈa(ʁ)/ [a.heˈa(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.ʁeˈa(ʁ)/ [a.heˈa(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /a.ʁeˈa(ɾ)/ [a.heˈa(ɾ)]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /a.ʁeˈa(ʁ)/ [a.χeˈa(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /a.ʁeˈa(ɻ)/ [a.heˈa(ɻ)]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐˈʁjaɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐˈʁjaɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐˈʁja.ɾi/

• Homophone: arriar (Portugal)
• Hyphenation: ar‧re‧ar

Verb

arrear (first-person singular present arreio, first-person singular preterite arreei, past participle arreado)

1. (transitive) to harness (to place a harness on something)

   Synonym: aparelhar

Conjugation

    Conjugation of arrear (e becomes ei when stressed) (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	arrear
Personal	arrear	arreares	arrear	arrearmos	arreardes	arrearem
Gerund
	arreando
Past participle
Masculine	arreado			arreados
Feminine	arreada			arreadas
Indicative
Present	arreio	arreias	arreia	arreamos	arreais	arreiam
Imperfect	arreava	arreavas	arreava	arreávamos	arreáveis	arreavam
Preterite	arreei	arreaste	arreou	arreamos1, arreámos2	arreastes	arrearam
Pluperfect	arreara	arrearas	arreara	arreáramos	arreáreis	arrearam
Future	arrearei	arrearás	arreará	arrearemos	arreareis	arrearão
Conditional	arrearia	arrearias	arrearia	arrearíamos	arrearíeis	arreariam
Subjunctive
Present	arreie	arreies	arreie	arreemos	arreeis	arreiem
Imperfect	arreasse	arreasses	arreasse	arreássemos	arreásseis	arreassem
Future	arrear	arreares	arrear	arrearmos	arreardes	arrearem
Imperative
Affirmative		arreia	arreie	arreemos	arreai	arreiem
Negative (não)		não arreies	não arreie	não arreemos	não arreeis	não arreiem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Derived terms

• arreio

Further reading

• Coromines, Joan; Pascual, José Antonio (1983–1991), “arrear”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critical Castilian and Hispanic etymological dictionary]‎^[2] (in Spanish), Madrid: Gredos
• “arrear”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “arrear”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /areˈaɾ/ [a.reˈaɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: a‧rre‧ar

Etymology 1

From arre + -ar.

Verb

arrear (first-person singular present arreo, first-person singular preterite arreé, past participle arreado)

1. to drive, herd (livestock)
2. to capture, take (by force)
3. to urge

Conjugation

    Conjugation of arrear (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			arrear
gerund			arreando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		arreado		arreada
		plural		arreados		arreadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	arreo	arreastú arreásvos	arrea	arreamos	arreáis	arrean
	imperfect	arreaba	arreabas	arreaba	arreábamos	arreabais	arreaban
	preterite	arreé	arreaste	arreó	arreamos	arreasteis	arrearon
	future	arrearé	arrearás	arreará	arrearemos	arrearéis	arrearán
	conditional	arrearía	arrearías	arrearía	arrearíamos	arrearíais	arrearían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	arree	arreestú arreésvos2	arree	arreemos	arreéis	arreen
	imperfect (ra)	arreara	arrearas	arreara	arreáramos	arrearais	arrearan
	imperfect (se)	arrease	arreases	arrease	arreásemos	arreaseis	arreasen
	future1	arreare	arreares	arreare	arreáremos	arreareis	arrearen
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		arreatú arreávos	arree	arreemos	arread	arreen
	negative		no arrees	no arree	no arreemos	no arreéis	no arreen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of arrear

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive arrear	dative	arrearme	arrearte	arrearle, arrearse	arrearnos	arrearos	arrearles, arrearse
	accusative	arrearme	arrearte	arrearlo, arrearla, arrearse	arrearnos	arrearos	arrearlos, arrearlas, arrearse
with gerund arreando	dative	arreándome	arreándote	arreándole, arreándose	arreándonos	arreándoos	arreándoles, arreándose
	accusative	arreándome	arreándote	arreándolo, arreándola, arreándose	arreándonos	arreándoos	arreándolos, arreándolas, arreándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative arrea	dative	arréame	arréate	arréale	arréanos	not used	arréales
	accusative	arréame	arréate	arréalo, arréala	arréanos	not used	arréalos, arréalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative arreá	dative	arreame	arreate	arreale	arreanos	not used	arreales
	accusative	arreame	arreate	arrealo, arreala	arreanos	not used	arrealos, arrealas
with formal second-person singular imperative arree	dative	arréeme	not used	arréele, arréese	arréenos	not used	arréeles
	accusative	arréeme	not used	arréelo, arréela, arréese	arréenos	not used	arréelos, arréelas
with first-person plural imperative arreemos	dative	not used	arreémoste	arreémosle	arreémonos	arreémoos	arreémosles
	accusative	not used	arreémoste	arreémoslo, arreémosla	arreémonos	arreémoos	arreémoslos, arreémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative arread	dative	arreadme	not used	arreadle	arreadnos	arreaos	arreadles
	accusative	arreadme	not used	arreadlo, arreadla	arreadnos	arreaos	arreadlos, arreadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative arreen	dative	arréenme	not used	arréenle	arréennos	not used	arréenles, arréense
	accusative	arréenme	not used	arréenlo, arréenla	arréennos	not used	arréenlos, arréenlas, arréense

Alternative forms

• harrear

Etymology 2

Possibly from a Vulgar Latin *arredāre (“arrange, provide”), from Gothic *𐍂𐌴𐌸𐍃 (*rēþs, “advice”). Cognate with English array.

Verb

arrear (first-person singular present arreo, first-person singular preterite arreé, past participle arreado)

1. to harness

Conjugation

    Conjugation of arrear (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			arrear
gerund			arreando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		arreado		arreada
		plural		arreados		arreadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	arreo	arreastú arreásvos	arrea	arreamos	arreáis	arrean
	imperfect	arreaba	arreabas	arreaba	arreábamos	arreabais	arreaban
	preterite	arreé	arreaste	arreó	arreamos	arreasteis	arrearon
	future	arrearé	arrearás	arreará	arrearemos	arrearéis	arrearán
	conditional	arrearía	arrearías	arrearía	arrearíamos	arrearíais	arrearían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	arree	arreestú arreésvos2	arree	arreemos	arreéis	arreen
	imperfect (ra)	arreara	arrearas	arreara	arreáramos	arrearais	arrearan
	imperfect (se)	arrease	arreases	arrease	arreásemos	arreaseis	arreasen
	future1	arreare	arreares	arreare	arreáremos	arreareis	arrearen
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		arreatú arreávos	arree	arreemos	arread	arreen
	negative		no arrees	no arree	no arreemos	no arreéis	no arreen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of arrear

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive arrear	dative	arrearme	arrearte	arrearle, arrearse	arrearnos	arrearos	arrearles, arrearse
	accusative	arrearme	arrearte	arrearlo, arrearla, arrearse	arrearnos	arrearos	arrearlos, arrearlas, arrearse
with gerund arreando	dative	arreándome	arreándote	arreándole, arreándose	arreándonos	arreándoos	arreándoles, arreándose
	accusative	arreándome	arreándote	arreándolo, arreándola, arreándose	arreándonos	arreándoos	arreándolos, arreándolas, arreándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative arrea	dative	arréame	arréate	arréale	arréanos	not used	arréales
	accusative	arréame	arréate	arréalo, arréala	arréanos	not used	arréalos, arréalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative arreá	dative	arreame	arreate	arreale	arreanos	not used	arreales
	accusative	arreame	arreate	arrealo, arreala	arreanos	not used	arrealos, arrealas
with formal second-person singular imperative arree	dative	arréeme	not used	arréele, arréese	arréenos	not used	arréeles
	accusative	arréeme	not used	arréelo, arréela, arréese	arréenos	not used	arréelos, arréelas
with first-person plural imperative arreemos	dative	not used	arreémoste	arreémosle	arreémonos	arreémoos	arreémosles
	accusative	not used	arreémoste	arreémoslo, arreémosla	arreémonos	arreémoos	arreémoslos, arreémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative arread	dative	arreadme	not used	arreadle	arreadnos	arreaos	arreadles
	accusative	arreadme	not used	arreadlo, arreadla	arreadnos	arreaos	arreadlos, arreadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative arreen	dative	arréenme	not used	arréenle	arréennos	not used	arréenles, arréense
	accusative	arréenme	not used	arréenlo, arréenla	arréennos	not used	arréenlos, arréenlas, arréense

Further reading

• “arrear”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025