owe
verb (used with object)
to be under obligation to pay or repay.
had owed
-
past perfectof owe.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to the Guardian, he paid the tax he had owed, as well as a 30% penalty, with the total settlement amounting to £4.8m.
From BBC ● Jan. 26, 2023
The appeal ruling said the victim’s father allegedly had owed Bennett money.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 5, 2020
Spencer had owed more than $60,000 in fees to Joyce Funda, the court-appointed “guardian ad litem” who represented the interests of Spencer’s two children in the divorce proceedings.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 24, 2020
Mr. Abdalla said he had owed his cousin about $145 for the transportation services the cousin provided to help him move some heavy materials.
From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2018
The day after the death of Aureliano Segundo, one of the friends who had brought the wreath with the irreverent inscription offered to pay Fernanda some money that he had owed her husband.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
