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v. owed, ow·ing, owes v.tr. 1. To be indebted to the amount of: He owes me five dollars. 2. To have a moral or legal obligation to render or offer: I owe them an apology. 3. To be in debt to: We owe the plumber for services rendered. 4. To be indebted or obliged for: owed their riches to oil; owes her good health to diet and exercise. 5. To bear (a certain feeling) toward a person or persons: You seem to owe your neighbors a grudge. 6. Archaic To have as a possession; own. v.intr. To be in debt: She still owes for the car. [Middle English owen, from Old English āgan, to possess; see aik- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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