Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Owe"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Owe \Owe\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Owed}, ({Ought}obs.); p. pr. &
vb. n. {Owing}.] [OE. owen, awen,aghen, to have, own, have
(to do), hence, owe, AS. [=a]gan to have; akin to G. eigen,
a., own, Icel. eiga to have, Dan. eie, Sw. ["a]ga, Goth.
['a]igan, Skr. ?. ????. Cf. {Ought}, v., 2d {Own},
{Fraught}.]
1. To possess; to have, as the rightful owner; to own. [Obs.]

Thou dost here usurp The name thou ow'st not.
--Shak.

2. To have or possess, as something derived or bestowed; to
be obliged to ascribe (something to some source); to be
indebted or obliged for; as, he owed his wealth to his
father; he owed his victory to his lieutenants. --Milton.

O deem thy fall not owed to man's decree. --Pope.

3. Hence: To have or be under an obigation to restore, pay,
or render (something) in return or compensation for
something received; to be indebted in the sum of; as, the
subject owes allegiance; the fortunate owe assistance to
the unfortunate.

The one ought five hundred pence, and the other
fifty. --Bible
(1551).

A son owes help and honor to his father. --Holyday.

Note: Owe was sometimes followed by an objective clause
introduced by the infinitive. ``Ye owen to incline and
bow your heart.'' --Chaucer.

4. To have an obligation to (some one) on account of
something done or received; to be indebted to; as, to iwe
the grocer for supplies, or a laborer for services.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

owe
v 1: be obliged to pay or repay
2: be indebted to, in an abstract or intellectual sense; "This
new theory owes much to Einstein's Relativity Theory"
3: be in debt; "She owes me $200"; "The thesis owes much to his
adviser"


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