Etymology, English, Due

Etymology

From Middle English dewe, dew, due, from Old French deü (“due”), past participle of devoir (“to owe”), from Latin dēbēre, present active infinitive of dēbeō (“I owe”), from dē- (“from”) +‎ habeō (“I have”), from Proto-Italic *habēō or *haβēō, the latter may be from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- (“to grab, to take”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: dyo͞o, jo͞o, IPA^(key): /djuː/, /dʒuː/
  
• (US) enPR: do͞o, IPA^(key): /du/
• (General Australian, General New Zealand) enPR: jo͞o, IPA^(key): /dʒʉː/

Adjective

due (comparative more due, superlative most due)

1. Owed or owing.

   He is due four weeks of back pay.

   The amount due is just three quid.

   The due bills total nearly seven thousand dollars.

   He can wait for the amount due him.

   Synonyms: needed, owing, to be made, required

2. Appropriate.

   With all due respect, you’re wrong about that.

3. Scheduled; expected.

   Rain is due this afternoon.

   The train is due in five minutes.

   When is your baby due?

   Synonyms: expected, forecast

4. Having reached the expected, scheduled, or natural time.

   The baby is just about due.

   Synonym: expected

5. Owing; ascribable, as to a cause.

   The dangerously low water table is due to rapidly growing pumping.

6. On a direct bearing, especially for the four points of the compass

   The town is 5 miles due North of the bridge.

Adverb

due (comparative more due, superlative most due)

1. (used with compass directions) Directly; exactly.

    The river runs due north for about a mile.

Noun

due (plural dues)

1. Deserved acknowledgment.

   Give him his due — he is a good actor.

2. (in plural dues) A membership fee.
3. That which is owed; debt; that which belongs or may be claimed as a right; whatever custom, law, or morality requires to be done, duty.
4. Right; just title or claim.