owe

American  

[oh] / oʊ /

verb (used with object)

owed, owing

1. to be under obligation to pay or repay.

   to owe money to the bank; to owe the bank interest on a mortgage.

2. to be in debt to.

   He says he doesn't owe anybody.

3. to be indebted (to) as the cause or source of.

   to owe one's fame to good fortune.

4. to have or bear (a feeling or attitude) toward someone or something.

   to owe gratitude to one's rescuers.

5. Obsolete. to possess; own.

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verb (used without object)

owed, owing

1. to be in debt.

   Neither lend nor owe. Who owes for the antipasto?

owe British  

/ əʊ /

verb

1. to be under an obligation to pay (someone) to the amount of

2. (intr) to be in debt

   he still owes for his house

3. (often foll by to) to have as a result (of)

   he owes his success to chance

4. to feel the need or obligation to do, give, etc

   to owe somebody thanks

   to owe it to oneself to rest

5. to hold or maintain in the mind or heart (esp in the phrase owe a grudge )

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Etymology

Origin of owe

before 900; Middle English owen to possess, be under obligation, have to pay; Old English āgan to possess; cognate with Old High German eigan, Old Norse eiga. See own, ought ¹

Example Sentences

After years of the hospital bill hanging over his head like an "ominous dark cloud", King finally felt relief when he called the hospital to pay off the rest of what he owed.

From BBC

We thought we owed him the opportunity after our criticism of his tariffs, and we’ll pay him the additional compliment of parsing his claims.

From The Wall Street Journal

Every dark, serialized drama of the past quarter-century—and all of the comedies featuring disreputable protagonists—owe a debt to Tony Soprano and his family.

From The Wall Street Journal

“That I must wait! That he’ll go to someone who owes him for fish.”

From Literature

Its boss called on the government to step in owing to the broader economic impact.

From BBC

Related Words

• incur