: to have a responsibility to do something to satisfy an obligation or duty
owes it to voters to explain his reasons
I owed it to her to give her this opportunity Colin MacIness
Example Sentences
We owe no income tax. I owe the bank a lot of money. Additional payments are owed on the mortgage. I still owe on the car. I owe you a drink. I owe you my thanks. She still owes me for all the times I've helped her out. See More
Recent Examples on the WebHow much do Marion County homeowners generally owe? Record-high inflation has stretched families’ budgets.The Indianapolis Star, 15 Sep. 2022 These borrowers are eligible for $20,000 in student loan forgiveness and may owe an additional $1,000 in taxes.Fox News, 9 Sep. 2022 Pinpointing how much countries owe to China is hard. Jason Douglas, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 In a civil case, a San Diego Superior Court judge ruled that the GirlsDoPorn operators owe nearly $13 million to 22 young women who were tricked and coerced into shooting pornographic videos. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 8 Sep. 2022 Borrowers who face state taxes for loan relief will owe the levy for the tax year in which the loan is forgiven, the analysis noted. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 31 Aug. 2022 Unlike the Swalwell proposal, however, neither of those bills would cancel the interest people currently owe on existing loans. Arit John, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2022 Unlike the Swalwell proposal, however, neither of those bills would cancel the interest people currently owe on existing loans.Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2022 Musk claims that Twitter’s violations in effect void the contract, and therefore Twitter can’t pursue specific performance, and even may owe him $1 billion in damages. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, to possess, own, owe, from Old English āgan; akin to Old High German eigun (1st & 3rd plural present indicative) possess, Sanskrit īśe he possesses