- due
- mid-14c., from O.Fr. deu, pp. of devoir "to owe," from L. debere "to owe" (see debt). In ref. to points of the compass (e.g. due east) it is attested from c.1600, originally nautical, from notion of "fitting, rightful." Dues "fee for membership" is from 1660s. "Giue them their due though they were diuels" [1589].