The choice of wording -- specifically "debt" -- is deliberate and meaningful. If I owe you $5, you have to accept my $5 bill as legal tender But if I want to

The choice of wording -- specifically "debt" -- is deliberate and meaningful. If I owe you $5, you have to accept my $5 bill as legal tender But if I want to buy something from your store that doesn't mean you have to accept my $5 bill - that's not a debt