sous
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈsuz// UK //sˈuːz// sous
n. a very small amount of money. People used this word in the past for a French coin that was not worth much.
n. a former French coin of low value, equivalent to five centimes. Often used figuratively in negative constructions to indicate a total lack of funds.
He spent every last sous on his journey.
After the business failed and the debts were settled, the family found themselves without a single sous to their name.
The protagonist's descent into poverty is marked by his willingness to perform menial tasks for a few sous, illustrating the harsh economic realities of nineteenth-century urban life.
Usage
Often appears in the plural form 'sous' or in the idiomatic phrase 'not a sous'.