OWE, verb transitive o. [Gr., Eng. own.]

1. To be indebted; to be obliged or bound to pay. The merchants owe a large sum to foreigners.

A son owes help and honor to his father.

One was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.

Matthew 18:24.

OWE no man any thing, but to love one another. Romans 13:8.

2. To be obliged to ascribe to; to be obliged for; as, that he may owe to me all his deliverance.

3. To possess; to have; to be the owner of. [This is the original sense, but now obsolete. In place of it, we use own, from the participle. See Own.]

Thou dost here usurp the name thou owest not.

4. To be due or owing.

O deem thy fall not ow'd to man's decree.

[This passive form is not now used.]

OWE, verb intransitive To be bound or obliged.