Due means owed or expected at a certain time. When your library book is due on Friday, you need to return it by then. When homework is due at the start of class, that's the deadline your teacher expects you to meet.

The word carries a sense of obligation or requirement. If you borrowed five dollars from a friend, that money is due back to them. When respect is due to someone, they've earned it and deserve to receive it. You might hear someone say “give credit where credit is due,” meaning recognize people for what they've actually accomplished.

Due can also mean something is expected to arrive or happen. If a package is due to arrive Tuesday, that's when you should expect it. A baby due in March means doctors predict that birth month.

The phrase due to means “because of” or “caused by.” If school closes due to snow, the snow is the reason. If a flight is delayed due to weather, bad conditions caused the problem.

When something happens in due time, it means it will happen when the right moment arrives, not before. Sometimes the best things require patience and can't be rushed.