sou

Everyday

1. (French, old money) A sou was an old French coin of very little value. tree →
2. (idiom, old-fashioned) Not a sou means no money at all, as in he hasn't a sou. tree →
3. (French) Sous (said soo) also means under in French, as in sous-chef, the cook under the head chef. tree →

In the lessons

In history and old stories, people are poor without a sou to their name. In French lessons, sous means under, and sou means a small coin; both sound like the English word sue. In cooking, a sous-chef is the second chef in a kitchen. It is not an everyday English word.

Examples

• He was so poor he didn't have a sou. tree →
• The old woman counted her few sous. tree →
• In the story, the beggar asked for a sou. tree →
• A sou was worth very little. tree →
• A sous-chef helps the head chef. tree →
• Sous la table means under the table. (French) tree →

Note

Said soo, like sue. Plural: sous (also said soo). Mostly found in old books and set phrases. It comes from French, not English.