WRIT OF DEBT, practice. A writ which lies where the party claims the
recovery of a debt, i. e. a liquidated or certain sum of money alleged to be
due to him. This is debt in the debet, which is the principal and only
common form. There is another species mentioned in the books, called the
debt in the detinet, which lies for the specific recovery of goods, under a
contract to deliver them. 1 Chit. Pl. 101.