direct debit account

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   a bank account from which regular bills are paid automatically, or the arrangement that allows this.

   Grammar: Countable: use 'a direct debit account' or plural 'direct debit accounts'.

   Patterns

   • pay something from a direct debit account
   • set up a direct debit account
   • a direct debit account for something

   She pays her electricity bill from a direct debit account at her local bank.

   Setting up a direct debit account means the money leaves your account on the same day each month.

   If you close your direct debit account, you must tell the companies that take payments from it.

2. 2nouncountableBritish

   a service offered by a bank that lets a company take money from your account on agreed dates.

   Grammar: Often used after 'have' or 'open': 'I have a direct debit account with them.'

   Patterns

   • have a direct debit account
   • open a direct debit account
   • a direct debit account with a bank

   The gym asked me to have a direct debit account so they could collect the monthly fee.

   You can open a direct debit account online in a few minutes.

Word forms

Common combinations

set up a direct debit account

I set up a direct debit account to pay my phone bill.

pay by direct debit

Most customers pay by direct debit.

cancel a direct debit

You can cancel a direct debit at any time.

a direct debit payment

The direct debit payment comes out on the first of the month.

direct debit details

Please give us your direct debit details.

Synonyms and how they differ

standing order

A standing order is a fixed amount you arrange yourself; a direct debit lets the company vary the amount.

automatic payment

This is a more general American term; 'direct debit' is the usual British banking term.

Word family

direct debit noun

the payment arrangement itself, not the account

debit noun

money taken out of an account

debit card noun

a card that takes money directly from your account

Commonly confused: direct debit account or credit account? direct debit account or direct deposit?

Practice

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