owe
/oʊ/ verb B1- To be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone. · We owe it to our children to make our nation a better place to live in the future.· I owe Kevin five bucks which he lent to me last week.
- To have debt; to be in debt.
- To have as a cause; used with to. · The record owes its success to the outstanding guitar solos.
He/she/it owes · Past owed · Past participle owed · -ing form owing
Verb forms
- Base form
- owe
- He/she/it
- owes
- Past
- owed
- Past participle
- owed
- -ing form
- owing
Phrasal verbs and expressions
From the library
“We are never quits with those who oblige us,” was Dantès’ reply; “for when we do not owe them money, we owe them gratitude.”
“But,” cried Dantès, “it was a hundred and forty francs I owed Caderousse.”
“How much do I owe this gracious prince!
As soon as they were well away, the Fox departed without taking any notice of the Woodcutter: whereon he called to him and reproached him, saying, “You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet you leave me without a word of thanks.” The Fox replied, “Indeed, I should have thanked you fervently if your deeds had been as good as your words, and if your hands had not been traitors to your speech.”
Other matches
Learn owe in real texts
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