Definition of 'due'

Word Frequency

due

(djuː , US duː )

Word forms: plural dues

1. phrase

If an event is due to something, it happens or exists as a direct result of that thing.

The country's economic problems are largely due to the weakness of the recovery. [+ to]

If the trip is a success, a lot of this will be due to Mr Green's efforts.

2. phrase

You can say due to to introduce the reason for something happening. Some speakers of English believe that it is not correct to use due to in this way.

Due to the large volume of letters he receives Dave regrets he is unable to answer queries personally. [+ to]

Jobs could be lost in the defence industry due to political changes sweeping Europe.

3. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE, oft ADJECTIVE to-infinitive]

If something is due at a particular time, it is expected to happen, be done, or arrive at that time.

The results are due at the end of the month.

The first price increases are due to come into force in July.

Her first novel is due out in May.

Mr Carter is due in London on Monday.

...customers who paid later than twenty days after the due date.

Synonyms: expected, scheduled, awaited, expected to arrive More Synonyms of due

4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]

Due attention or consideration is the proper, reasonable, or deserved amount of it under the circumstances.

After due consideration it was decided to send him away to live with foster parents.

I hope people will use the footpaths and treat them with due attention.

5. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]

Something that is due, or that is due to someone, is owed to them, either as a debt or because they have a right to it.

I was sent a cheque for £1,525 and advised that no further pension was due.

I've got some leave due to me and I was going to Tasmania for a fortnight. [+ to]

Synonyms: payable, outstanding, owed, owing More Synonyms of due

Due is also a preposition.

He had not taken a summer holiday that year but had accumulated the leave due him.

6. adjective

If someone is due for something, that thing is planned to happen or be given to them now, or very soon, often after they have been waiting for it for a long time.

She was due for a follow-up appointment.

He was not due for release until 2020. [+ for]

Due is also a preposition.

I reckon I'm due one of my travels.

7. plural noun [oft poss NOUN]

Dues are sums of money that you give regularly to an organization that you belong to, for example a social club or trade union, in order to pay for being a member.

Only 18 of the U.N.'s 180 members had paid their dues by the January deadline.

Synonyms: right(s), privilege, entitlement, deserts More Synonyms of due

8. adverb

Due is used before the words 'north', 'south', 'east', or 'west' to indicate that something is in exactly the direction mentioned.

They headed due north.

The Thames flows due south from Oxford, through the market town of Abingdon.

...a mining town 40 miles due east of Los Angeles.

Synonyms: directly, dead, straight, exactly More Synonyms of due

See in due course

10.

See to give sb their due

11.

See with due respect

More Synonyms of due

Video: pronunciation of
due

due in British English

(djuː )

adjective

1. (postpositive)

immediately payable

2. (postpositive)

owed as a debt, irrespective of any date for payment

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. See due to

noun

something that is owed, required, or due

8. See give a person his or her due

adverb

directly or exactly; straight

a course due west

▶ 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

Word origin

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

Word Frequency

due in American English

(du ; dju )

adjective

owed or owing as a debt, right, etc.; payable

the first payment is due

suitable; fitting; proper

with all due respect

as much as is required; enough; adequate

due care, in due time

expected or scheduled to arrive or be ready; timed for a certain hour or date

the plane is due at 6:30 P.M.

adverb

exactly; directly

due west

noun

anything due or owed

; specif.,

deserved recognition

to give a man his due

b. [pl.]

fees, taxes, or other charges

membership dues

Idioms:

become due

due to

pay one's dues

Word origin

ME < OFr deu, pp. of devoir, to owe < L debere, to owe: see debt

Word Frequency

due in American English

(duː, djuː)

adjective

owed at present; having reached the date for payment

This bill is due

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

This bill is due next month

owing or observed as a moral or natural right

rightful; proper; fitting

due care

in due time

adequate; sufficient

a due margin for delay

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

The plane is due at noon

7. See due to

noun

something that is due, owed, or naturally belongs to someone

9. (usually dues)

a regular fee or charge payable at specific intervals, esp. to a group or organization

membership dues

10. See give someone his due

11. See pay one's dues

adverb

12.

directly or exactly

a due east course

13. obsolete

duly

7. 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

Derived forms

dueness

noun

Word origin

[1275–1325; ME ‹ AF; MF deu, ptp. of devoir ‹ L dēbēre to owe; see debt]

Examples of 'due' in a sentence
due

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The report will be published in due course.It has emerged victims and their families may be due tens of millions of pounds in compensation.The money was due to last six months and is about to run out.The staff member had already transitioned and was due back at work the next day.He also appears to be driving without due care and attention and a passenger is not wearing a seat belt. Lazy pundits and former players have been coming out saying he has no chance of success due to his age and inexperience. Rents are also due to go up by 5.4 per cent in the next six months.Some 100 youngsters are due to arrive in Britain this week but that is the tip of the iceberg.The committee is due to report back early next year.They said she would almost definitely secure indefinite leave to remain in due course.