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# iou

noun (an IOU, IOUs) — an abbreviation

«iou» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A short written note that says you owe someone money; it stands for «I owe you» because the letters sound like those words. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#m1)
2. (informal) A promise to do something or pay back later. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#m2)

### In the lessons

In maths and money lessons IOUs show debt: the note means someone must pay later. In everyday life children write IOUs for pocket money or favours, and in stories an IOU can be a clue to a debt. Phrases: write an IOU, an IOU for £5, give someone an IOU.

### Examples

- I didn't have any money, so I gave my sister an IOU for £2. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#x1)
- Dad found an old IOU in his wallet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#x2)
- The pirate's map came with an IOU for ten gold coins. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#x3)
- My birthday card had an IOU for a trip to the cinema. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#x4)
- If you write an IOU, you must pay it back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#x5)
- Tom has three IOUs from his brother for chores. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#x6)
- An IOU for $10 means the writer owes $10. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/#x7)

### Note

Usually written in capitals: IOU, plural IOUs. «An IOU», because the first sound is «eye». It is a pun: I-O-U sounds like «I owe you». In maths problems, an IOU counts as money owed, so it is taken away from what the writer has.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «iou» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/iou/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«iou» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/iou.html) on Mova free.