transitive verb owed, owing ow′·ing

1. to have an obligation to pay; be indebted to the amount of
2. to have or feel the need to do, give, etc., as because of gratitude
3. to have or cherish (a certain feeling) toward another: now only in owe a grudge
4. to be indebted to someone for the existence of
5. Obsolete to own; have

Etymology: ME owen < OE agan, to own, possess, have, akin to Goth aigan, OHG eigan < IE base *ēik-, to have as one's own, be capable (of) > Sans *īśē, (he) possesses

intransitive verb