owe

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   be in debt

   They owe me $200 that I look forward to getting back soon.

2. 2
   verb

   be indebted to, in an abstract or intellectual sense

   This new theory owes much to Einstein's Relativity Theory

3. 3
   verb

   To be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone.

   We owe it to our children to make our nation a better place to live in the future.

4. 4
   verb

   To have as a cause; used with to.

   The record owes its success to the outstanding guitar solos.

5. 5
   verb

   be obliged to pay or repay

6. 6
   verb

   To have debt; to be in debt.

Etymology

From Middle English owen, from Old English āgan, from Proto-West Germanic *aigan (“to own”), from Proto-Germanic *aiganą, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₂óyḱe (“to possess, own”), reduplicated stative of *h₂eyḱ- (“to own”). See also own, ought. Cognate with Sanskrit ईष्टे (īṣṭe, “to own, possess”).