Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Owe
Owe
(ō)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Owed
(ōd)
, (Ought
(a̤t)
obs.
); p. pr. & vb. n.
Owing
(ō′ĭng)
.] 1.
To possess; to have, as the rightful owner; to own.
[Obs.]
Thou dost here usurp
The name thou
The name thou
ow’st
not. Shakespeare
2.
To have or possess, as something derived or bestowed; to be obliged to ascribe (something to some source); to be indebted or obliged for;
as, he
. owed
his wealth to his father; he owed
his victory to his lieutenantsMilton.
O deem thy fall not
owed
to man's decree. Pope.
3.
Hence:
To have or be under an obigation to restore, pay, or render (something) in return or compensation for something received; to be indebted in the sum of;
as, the subject
owes
allegiance; the fortunate owe
assistance to the unfortunate.The one
ought
five hundred pence, and the other fifty. Bible (1551).
A son
owes
help and honor to his father. Holyday.
☞ Owe was sometimes followed by an objective clause introduced by the infinitive. “Ye owen to incline and bow your heart.”
Chaucer.
4.
To have an obligation to (some one) on account of something done or received; to be indebted to;
as, to
. owe
the grocer for supplies, or a laborer for servicesWebster 1828 Edition
Owe
OWE
,Verb.
T.
o.
1.
To be indebted; to be obliged or bound to pay. The merchants owe a large sum to foreigners.A son owes help and honor to his father.
One was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
Matt. 18.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. Rom. 13.
2.
To be obliged to ascribe to; to be obliged for; as, that he may owe to me all his deliverance.3.
To possess; to have; to be the owner of. [This is the original sense, but now obsolete. In place of it, we use own, from the participle. See Own.]Thou dost here usurp the name thou owest not.
4.
To be due or owing.O deem thy fall not ow'd to man's decree.
[This passive form is not now used.]
OWE
,Verb.
I.
Definition 2024
owe
owe
English
Verb
owe (third-person singular simple present owes, present participle owing, simple past and past participle owed)
- To be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone.
- 1854, Dickens, Hard Times, Chapter 7:
- He inherited a fair fortune from his uncle, but owed it all before he came into it, and spent it twice over immediately afterwards.
- 1854, Dickens, Hard Times, Chapter 7:
- To have debt, to be in debt.
Usage notes
- The original past tense form was ought, which during Middle English began to be used with indefinite signification and has become a distinct verb. The original past participle has become the adjective own.
Translations
to be under an obligation
|
to be in debt
|
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