owe

Meaning

1. To be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone.
2. To have debt; to be in debt.
3. To have as a cause; used with to.

Synonyms

be in debt

indebted

be indebted

debt

be due to

run into debt

obliged

deficient

must

be behind

little

need

owing

own

possess

terrify

be in arrears

be to

buy on credit

fill with terror

in arrears

in debt

obliged to

be obligated

be deficient

be beholden

frighten greatly

have a debt

alarm

owe a debt

bear

🐻

be obliged

borrow

confused

😕

due

have

have to

humble

lack

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əʊ/

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”).