owe
Pronunciation: /əʊ/
verb
- have an obligation to pay or repay (something, especially money) in return for something received: they have denied they owe money to the company
- owe something, especially money, to: I owe you for the taxi
- be under a moral obligation to give someone (gratitude, respect, etc.): I owe it to him to explain what’s happened
- (owe something to) have something because of: champagne houses owe their success to brand image I owe my life to you
Phrases
-
owe it to oneself (to do something)
- need to do something to protect one’s own interests: you owe it to yourself to take care of your body
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owe someone one
- informal feel indebted to someone: thanks, I owe you one for this
-
—— owes one a living
- used to express disapproval of someone who expects to receive financial support or other benefits without doing any work: they think the world owes them a living
Origin:
Old English āgan 'own, have it as an obligation', of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit īs 'possess, own'. Compare with ought1