own
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Synonyms for own
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comAntonyms for own
Examples from the Web for owned
Contemporary Examples of owned
By 2012, Democratic President Barack Obama owned the Asian-American vote, winning it by 47 percentage points.
The airplane was owned by an Indonesian budget carrier, Lion Air.
The QC Group Inc A Minnesota-based corporation, owned by Daniel Medford and David DeVowe, which provides quality control services.
He owned up to the fact that the Democrats were the Government Party.
She owned original artworks by Rembrandt, Velazquez and Titian.
Historical Examples of owned
He now owned a great deal of water-front, twice as much as before.
Ancient ManHendrik Willem van Loon
It was the most expensive piece of jewelry Grace had ever owned.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton CampusJessie Graham Flower
And now even she herself hardly realized that she had ever owned to any other call.
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
For now the few classic books they owned, so cold and dry, existed no longer.
The DreamEmile Zola
The MacDermotts have owned this shop a powerful while, as your ma tells you many's a time.
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
own
- (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
- (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
Word Origin and History for owned
"possessed," 1620s, past participle adjective from own (v.).
own
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