OWE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does owe mean? 

• OWE (verb)
  The verb OWE has 3 senses:

1. be obliged to pay or repay

2. be indebted to, in an abstract or intellectual sense

3. be in debt

  Familiarity information: OWE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OWE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they owe    ... he / she / it owes   
Past simple: owed   
Past participle: owed   
-ing form: owing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be obliged to pay or repay

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "owe"):

chalk up; run up (accumulate as a debt)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be indebted to, in an abstract or intellectual sense

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

This new theory owes much to Einstein's Relativity Theory

Hypernyms (to "owe" is one way to...):

build on; build upon; repose on; rest on (be based on; of theories and claims, for example)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be in debt

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

The thesis owes much to his adviser

Hypernyms (to "owe" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "owe"):

mortgage (put up as security or collateral)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Sentence examples:

They owe the money to them
They owe them the money

 Context examples 

“There is one other thing you owe, Mr. Holder,” said Sherlock Holmes rather sternly.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There was no woman whose sympathy could be given to him, or with whom, owing to the terrible circumstance with which his sorrow was surrounded, he could speak freely.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“My dear Watson,” said the well-remembered voice, “I owe you a thousand apologies. I had no idea that you would be so affected.”

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I owe you a thousand apologies for having doubted your ability.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“God bless you, Trot! My own boy never could be dearer. I think of poor dear Baby this morning.” “So do I. And of all I owe to you, dear aunt.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But I owe you no further explanation.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Not only we as individuals, but European science collectively, owe you a deep debt of gratitude for what you have done.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Besides, you owe something to John as well as to the babies.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He owed somebody two dollars and a half, that was certain, but who was it?

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Upon my word, Watson! said Holmes at last with an unsteady voice, I owe you both my thanks and an apology.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)