due

[ doo, dyoo ]

adjective

1. owed at present; having reached the date for payment:

   This bill is due.

2. owing or owed, irrespective of whether the time of payment has arrived:

   This bill is due next month.

3. owing or observed as a moral or natural right.
4. rightful; proper; fitting:

   due care; in due time.

5. adequate; sufficient:

   a due margin for delay.

6. under engagement as to time; expected to be ready, be present, or arrive; scheduled:

   The plane is due at noon.

noun

1. something that is due, owed, or naturally belongs to someone.
2. Usually dues. a regular fee or charge payable at specific intervals, especially to a group or organization:

   membership dues.

adverb

1. directly or exactly:

   a due east course.

2. Obsolete. duly.

due

/ djuː /

adjective

1. postpositive immediately payable
2. postpositive owed as a debt, irrespective of any date for payment
3. requisite; fitting; proper
4. prenominal adequate or sufficient; enough
5. postpositive expected or appointed to be present or arrive

   the train is now due

6. due to
   attributable to or caused by

noun

1. something that is owed, required, or due
2. give a person his due
   to give or allow a person what is deserved or right

adverb

1. directly or exactly; straight

   a course due west

Usage Note

Due to as a prepositional phrase meaning “because of, owing to” has been in use since the 14th century: Due to the sudden rainstorm, the picnic was moved indoors. Some object to this use on the grounds that due is historically an adjective and thus should be used only predicatively in constructions like The delay was due to electrical failure. Despite such objections, due to occurs commonly as a compound preposition and is standard in all varieties of speech and writing.

Usage

The use of due to as a compound preposition (the performance has been cancelled due to bad weather) was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable

Pronunciation Note

See new.

Other Words From

• dueness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of due¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Anglo-French; Middle French deu, past participle of devoir, from Latin dēbēre “to owe”; debt

Word History and Origins

Origin of due¹

C13: from Old French deu, from devoir to owe, from Latin debēre; see debt , debit

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. due to,
   1. attributable to; ascribable to:

      The delay was due to heavy traffic.

   2. because of; owing to:

      All planes are grounded due to fog.

2. give someone his / her due,
   1. to give what justice demands; treat fairly:

      Even though he had once cheated me, I tried to give him his due.

   2. to credit a disliked or dishonorable person for something that is likable, honorable, or the like.
3. pay one's dues, to earn respect, a position, or a right by hard work, sacrifice, or experience:

   She's a famous musician now, but she paid her dues with years of practice and performing in small towns.

More idioms and phrases containing due

In addition to the idiom beginning with due , also see give credit (where it's due) ; give someone his or her due ; give the devil his due ; in due course ; pay one's dues ; with all due respect .

Related Words

• compensation
• interest
• payment
• rate
• repayment
• right