Definition owe
Etymology
From Middle English owen, from Old English āgan, from Proto-Germanic *aiganą, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₂óyḱe (“to possess, own”), reduplicated stative of *h₂eyḱ- (“to own”). See also own, ought.
Verb
owe (third-person singular simple present owes, present participle owing, simple past owed or (archaic) ought, past participle owed or (archaic) own)
- (transitive) To be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone.
- (intransitive) To have debt; to be in debt.