own

[ ohn ]

/ oʊn /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR own ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to oneself or itself (usually used after a possessive to emphasize the idea of ownership, interest, or relation conveyed by the possessive): He spent only his own money.

(used as an intensifier to indicate oneself as the sole agent of some activity or action, preceded by a possessive): He insists on being his own doctor.

verb (used with object)

to have or hold as one's own; possess: They own several homes.

to acknowledge or admit: to own a fault.

to acknowledge as one's own; recognize as having full claim, authority, power, dominion, etc.: He owned his child before the entire assembly. They owned the king as their lord.

to totally defeat, gain control over, or dominate in a competition: I totally owned the last two levels of the game. He owned the season from beginning to end and took the world title.

to take over a (a computer system, program, or computer) without authorization: The network has been owned by a hacker.

verb (used without object)

to confess (often followed by to, up, or up to): The one who did it had better own up. I own to being uncertain about that.

Nearby words

Idioms

come into one's own,

to take possession of that which is due or owed one.
to receive the recognition that one's abilities merit: She finally came into her own as a sculptor of the first magnitude.

get one's own back, to get revenge and thereby a sense of personal satisfaction, as for a slight or a previous setback; get even with somebody or something: He saw the award as a way of getting his own back for all the snubs by his colleagues.

hold one's own,

to maintain one's position or condition: The stock market seems to be holding its own these days.
to be equal to the opposition: He can hold his own in any fight.

of one's own, belonging to oneself: She had never had a room of her own.

on one's own,

by dint of one's own efforts, resources, or sense of responsibility; independently: Because she spoke the language, she got around the country very well on her own.
living or functioning without dependence on others; independent: My son's been on his own for several years.

Origin of own

before 900; (adj.) Middle English owen, Old English āgen (cognate with German eigen, Old Norse eigenn), orig. past participle of āgan to possess (see owe); (v.) Middle English ownen, Old English āgnian, āhnian, derivative of āgen

SYNONYMS FOR own

3. See have.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR own ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR own

3. lack, need.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR own ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsnon·own·ing, adjectiveun·owned, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for owned

By 2012, Democratic President Barack Obama owned the Asian-American vote, winning it by 47 percentage points.
Asian-Americans Are The New Florida|Tim Mak|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The airplane was owned by an Indonesian budget carrier, Lion Air.
Who Will Get AsiaAir 8501’s Black Boxes?|Clive Irving|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The QC Group Inc A Minnesota-based corporation, owned by Daniel Medford and David DeVowe, which provides quality control services.
The 26 Next Hobby Lobbys|Abby Haglage|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He owned up to the fact that the Democrats were the Government Party.
2016 Is No Democratic Slam Dunk|Lloyd Green|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST

She owned original artworks by Rembrandt, Velazquez and Titian.
Adiós to the Diva Duchess|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"We've got to act as if we owned the earrth," Archer agreed.
Tom Slade with the Boys Over There|Percy K. Fitzhugh
One of the "owned" senators representing a decadent New England state, himself master of the state political machine.
Theft|Jack London
The townsmen he owned specially as his "adversaries," but it was the rustics who were to show what a hate he had won.
History of the English People, Volume II (of 8)|John Richard Green
Some of the wretched men who were dragged before him he threatened with hanging unless they gave him most or all that they owned.
Give Me Liberty|Thomas J. Wertenbaker
Washington owned Mount Vernon for forty-six years, just one-half of which time was given to the service of his country.
Little Journeys To the Homes of the Great, Volume 3 (of 14)|Elbert Hubbard

British Dictionary definitions for owned

own

/ (əʊn) /

determiner (preceded by a possessive)

(intensifier)John's own idea; your own mother
(as pronoun)I'll use my own

on behalf of oneself or in relation to oneselfhe is his own worst enemy

come into one's own

to become fulfilledshe really came into her own when she got divorced
to receive what is due to one

get one's own back informal to have revenge

hold one's own to maintain one's situation or position, esp in spite of opposition or difficulty

on one's own

without help
by oneself; alone

verb

(tr) to have as one's possession

(when intr, often foll by up, to, or up to) to confess or admit; acknowledge

(tr; takes a clause as object) rare to concedeI own that you are right

Word Origin for own

Old English āgen, originally past participle of āgan to have; related to Old Saxon ēgan, Old Norse eiginn. See owe

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for owned

owned

adj.

"possessed," 1620s, past participle adjective from own (v.).

own

adj.

Old English agen "one's own," literally "possessed by," from Proto-Germanic *aigana- "possessed, owned" (cf. Old Saxon egan, Old Frisian egin, Old Norse eiginn, Dutch eigen, German eigen "own"), from past participle of PIE *aik- "to be master of, possess," source of Old English agan "to have" (see owe).

own

evolved in early Middle English from Old English geagnian, from root agan "to have, to own" (see owe), and in part from the adjective own (q.v.). It became obsolete after c.1300, but was revived early 17c., in part as a back-formation of owner (mid-14c.), which continued. Related: Owned; owning. To own up "make full confession" is from 1853.

Idioms and Phrases with owned

own

In addition to the idioms beginning with own

own medicine
own person, be one's
own up

also see:

afraid of one's own shadow
after one's own heart
beat someone at his or her own game
blow one's own horn
call one's own
close to home
come into (one's own)
dig one's own grave
do one's (own) thing
dose of one's own medicine
get (one's own) back
get one's (own) way
go one's (own) way
hold one's own
in one's (own) interest
in one's own backyard
in one's own right
in one's own world
keep one's own counsel
know one's own mind
leave to someone's own devices
mind of one's own
mind one's own business
of one's own accord
on one's (own) feet
on one's own
on one's own account
on one's own time
paddle one's own canoe
pay back in one's own coin
pay one's (own) way
pick on (someone your own size)
pull one's (own) weight
sign one's own death warrant
stew in one's own juice
take into one's (own) hands
under one's own steam
write one's own ticket

own