own Definition
own (ōn)
adjective
- belonging, relating, or peculiar to oneself or itself: used to strengthen a preceding possessive his own book, her own idea
- Now Rare related by blood rather than by marriage
Etymology: ME owen < OE agen, pp. of agan, to possess: see owe
noun,
that which belongs to oneself the car is his own; I have reasons of my own
transitive verb
- to possess; hold as personal property; have
- to admit; recognize; acknowledge
intransitive verb
to confess (to)
own Related Forms
own Idioms
come into one's own
to receive what properly belongs to one, esp. acclaim or recognition
get one's own back
Chiefly Brit., Informal to get or take revenge; get even
of one's own
belonging strictly to oneself
on one's own
Informal- by one's own efforts or on one's own initiative
- independent of help from others
own up (to)
to confess (to)
own Synonyms
own
modif.
come into one's own
of one's own
on one's own
own Synonyms
own
v.
To possess
hold, have, enjoy, have inherited, fallen heir to, have title to, have rights to, be master of, occupy, control, dominate, have claim upon, boast, reserve, retain, keep, have in hand, have a deed for; see also maintain 3.To acknowledge
admit, assent to, grant, recognize; see admit 2, 3, declare 2. See syn. study at admit.
own Usage Examples
Object
- subsidiary: In October 2002, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing.
- copyright: A publisher also owns a separate copyright in the typographical arrangement of the words on a page.
- land: Capital means your savings, investments and the value of property and land owned but not occupied by you.
- property: The PROPERTY GROUP is responsible for generating income from the sale or rent of property owned by the city council.
- estate: Much of the path was constructed in the 19th century for the Archduke Ludwig of Austria who owned an estate at Valldemosa.
- company: As a family owned company, we were established in the 1950s.
Modifying Another Word
- privately: In 1988, the privately owned Dutch company, SHV, became a significant shareholder, acquiring 40 % of Calor's equity.
- wholly: In October 2002, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing.
- jointly: Windmill Farm and Maer Lake are owned jointly with Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Subject
- photographer: The copyright of all photography is owned by the photographer.
- company: Huge areas are owned by large companies based in the West.
Modifies a noun
- right: Everyone is a work of natural art in its own right.
- home: Make Art & Crafts in the comfort of your own home.
- experience: My own personal experience would suggest finding a group closer to home.
- life: You rather focus on what you can control - your own life.
- business: What did shock me was when he got his own business started.
- pace: They can study at their own pace over the summer vacation.
Preposition: by
- photographer: The copyright of all photography is owned by the photographer.
- company: Huge areas are owned by large companies based in the West.
- council: The PROPERTY GROUP is responsible for generating income from the sale or rent of property owned by the city council.

