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.

Concepts

owe

be in debt

indebted

be indebted

be due to

debt

be behind

run into debt

obliged

must

deficient

bear

be in arrears

be beholden

be obligated

be obliged

alarm

fill with terror

frighten greatly

terrify

have a debt

owe a debt

due

buy on credit

in arrears

need

have to

be to

obliged to

have

own

possess

owing

borrow

in debt

little

humble

confused

be deficient

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”).