Owe
verb
To have to give something back to someone because they gave it to you or because you took it.
I owe you a lunch for all the help you gave me last week.
Often appears as...
- owe someone a favor
- owe someone an explanation
verb
To feel that you should do something for someone because they have done something for you.
He refused the offer, saying he didn't want to owe anyone.
Often appears as...
- owe someone a lot
- owe someone gratitude
verb
To have a debt of a certain amount.
He still owes $1000 on his car loan.
Often appears as...
- owe money to the bank
- owe a significant amount
verb
To have to give something back to someone because they gave it to you or because you took it.
I owe you a lunch for all the help you gave me last week.
Often appears as...
- owe someone a favor
- owe someone an explanation
verb
To feel that you should do something for someone because they have done something for you.
He refused the offer, saying he didn't want to owe anyone.
Often appears as...
- owe someone a lot
- owe someone gratitude
verb
To have a debt of a certain amount.
He still owes $1000 on his car loan.
Often appears as...
- owe money to the bank
- owe a significant amount
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Return Promises
Use 'owe' when expressing the need to return a favor or keep a promise.
Since you covered my shift, I owe you one.
Pro Tip 2/3Emphasize Obligation
'Owe' highlights the obligation felt to repay others for their actions or gifts.
You helped me move, so I owe you a drink.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Monetary Only
'Owe' isn't limited to money; it can also refer to returning kindness or acts.
You've been so generous, I owe you a huge thank you!
Pro Tip 1/3Return Promises
Use 'owe' when expressing the need to return a favor or keep a promise.
Since you covered my shift, I owe you one.
Pro Tip 2/3Emphasize Obligation
'Owe' highlights the obligation felt to repay others for their actions or gifts.
You helped me move, so I owe you a drink.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Monetary Only
'Owe' isn't limited to money; it can also refer to returning kindness or acts.
You've been so generous, I owe you a huge thank you!
Pro Tip 1/3Return Promises
Use 'owe' when expressing the need to return a favor or keep a promise.
Since you covered my shift, I owe you one.
Pro Tip 2/3Emphasize Obligation
'Owe' highlights the obligation felt to repay others for their actions or gifts.
You helped me move, so I owe you a drink.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Monetary Only
'Owe' isn't limited to money; it can also refer to returning kindness or acts.
You've been so generous, I owe you a huge thank you!
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Video examples
Can you solve the...
Walking towards the temple always increases the tax, and walking away decreases it, so it seems like you can never reach it without owing silver. But what happens when you walk around a single block? If you start out owing four silver and go clockwise starting east, your tax bill becomes six,
Video examples
Schrödinger's cat: A...
millions on a single computer chip. Those chips and their spread out electrons power the computer you're using to watch this video. An old joke says that the Internet exists to allow the sharing of cat videos. At a very deep level, though, the Internet owes its existance
Video examples
Soldier Adopts Dog That...
gets to take out all that stress that she's built up throughout the week if the dogs put the time for the country then the country owes it to them to put the time to him she saved my life that's why I'm here so I owed it to her to save her life and that's why I wanted to
Video examples
Eye vs. camera - Michael...
You see, your eyes don't always capture the world as a video camera would. In fact, there are quite a few differences, owing to the anatomy of your eye and the processing that takes place in your brain and its outgrowth, the retina. Let's start with some similarities.
Video examples
How to speak so that...
asking for a raise, a wedding speech. Whatever it is, if it's really important, you owe it to yourself to look at this toolbox and the engine that it's going to work on, and no engine works well without being warmed up. Warm up your voice.
Video examples
The Rise of the Cali...
I want to be like my dad. I wanted to help my family. People think that bandits don't have values. But my dad and uncle did. They have honor. Violence was the last step to resolve the problems, because dead people don't pay what they owe.
Video examples
Cloudy climate change:...
So we owe our existence to aerosol particles. However, despite their importance, how aerosol particles form in the atmosphere and their effect on clouds are poorly understood. Even the vapors responsible for aerosol particle formation
Video examples
Elephants Freed From...
wouldn't be viable it wouldn't be fair so you know we owe it to her to make sure that she has the utmost best quality of life that she can have and from what I could see and what I feel that's definitely what she's getting here
Video examples
How does your body know...
Being able to sense time helps us do everything from waking and sleeping to knowing precisely when to catch a ball that's hurtling towards us. We owe all these abilities to an interconnected system of timekeepers in our brains.
Video examples
Expanding our definition...
I'm afraid you owe me no I am actually going to buzz off stage and leave you sitting here not feeling awkward because I would like to welcome to the stage
Video examples
Can you solve the...
Walking towards the temple always increases the tax, and walking away decreases it, so it seems like you can never reach it without owing silver. But what happens when you walk around a single block? If you start out owing four silver and go clockwise starting east, your tax bill becomes six,
Video examples
Schrödinger's cat: A...
millions on a single computer chip. Those chips and their spread out electrons power the computer you're using to watch this video. An old joke says that the Internet exists to allow the sharing of cat videos. At a very deep level, though, the Internet owes its existance
Video examples
Soldier Adopts Dog That...
gets to take out all that stress that she's built up throughout the week if the dogs put the time for the country then the country owes it to them to put the time to him she saved my life that's why I'm here so I owed it to her to save her life and that's why I wanted to
Video examples
Eye vs. camera - Michael...
You see, your eyes don't always capture the world as a video camera would. In fact, there are quite a few differences, owing to the anatomy of your eye and the processing that takes place in your brain and its outgrowth, the retina. Let's start with some similarities.
Video examples
How to speak so that...
asking for a raise, a wedding speech. Whatever it is, if it's really important, you owe it to yourself to look at this toolbox and the engine that it's going to work on, and no engine works well without being warmed up. Warm up your voice.
Video examples
The Rise of the Cali...
I want to be like my dad. I wanted to help my family. People think that bandits don't have values. But my dad and uncle did. They have honor. Violence was the last step to resolve the problems, because dead people don't pay what they owe.
Video examples
Cloudy climate change:...
So we owe our existence to aerosol particles. However, despite their importance, how aerosol particles form in the atmosphere and their effect on clouds are poorly understood. Even the vapors responsible for aerosol particle formation
Video examples
Elephants Freed From...
wouldn't be viable it wouldn't be fair so you know we owe it to her to make sure that she has the utmost best quality of life that she can have and from what I could see and what I feel that's definitely what she's getting here
Video examples
How does your body know...
Being able to sense time helps us do everything from waking and sleeping to knowing precisely when to catch a ball that's hurtling towards us. We owe all these abilities to an interconnected system of timekeepers in our brains.
Video examples
Expanding our definition...
I'm afraid you owe me no I am actually going to buzz off stage and leave you sitting here not feeling awkward because I would like to welcome to the stage
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Henry Ford
American Businessman
You will find men who want to be carried on the shoulders of others, who think that the world owes them a living. They don't seem to see that we must all lift together and pull together.
Quote examples
Dolly Parton
American Singer
If people work for me over the years, I expect them to be paid what they're owed, but I don't expect them to be paid more than they earn.
Quote examples
Ice Cube
American Musician
When I was in N.W.A. and didn't get paid all the money I was owed, that's when the business side of showbiz hit me.
Quote examples
Mark Twain
American Writer
Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.
Quote examples
Voltaire
French Writer
To the living we owe respect, but to the dead we owe only the truth.
Quote examples
Steven Adler
American Musician
We owe it to the fans to do a tour around the world.
Quote examples
Clint Eastwood
American Actor
Some people feel that the world owes them a living.
Quote examples
Bob Dylan
American Musician
What did I owe the rest of the world? Nothing.
Quote examples
Philip James Bailey
English Poet
Respect is what we owe; love, what we give.
Quote examples
Sherman Alexie
American Writer
All I owe the world is my art.
Quote examples
Henry Ford
American Businessman
You will find men who want to be carried on the shoulders of others, who think that the world owes them a living. They don't seem to see that we must all lift together and pull together.
Quote examples
Dolly Parton
American Singer
If people work for me over the years, I expect them to be paid what they're owed, but I don't expect them to be paid more than they earn.
Quote examples
Ice Cube
American Musician
When I was in N.W.A. and didn't get paid all the money I was owed, that's when the business side of showbiz hit me.
Quote examples
Mark Twain
American Writer
Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.
Quote examples
Voltaire
French Writer
To the living we owe respect, but to the dead we owe only the truth.
Quote examples
Steven Adler
American Musician
We owe it to the fans to do a tour around the world.
Quote examples
Clint Eastwood
American Actor
Some people feel that the world owes them a living.
Quote examples
Bob Dylan
American Musician
What did I owe the rest of the world? Nothing.
Quote examples
Philip James Bailey
English Poet
Respect is what we owe; love, what we give.
Quote examples
Sherman Alexie
American Writer
All I owe the world is my art.
Example 1 of 10
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