Debenture

(de-běn chur.) [From L. deb eo, I owe.] (Law.) A certificate signed by an officer of the customs, which entitles a merchant exporting goods to the receipt of a bounty, or a drawback of duties. It is also an instrument in use in some govt. departments, by which the govt. is charged to pay a creditor or his a igns the sum found due on crediting his accounts. It is also an instrument by which a public company acknowledges the borrowing of a sum of money, and undertakes to repay the amount with interest. [s. 268]