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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Owe \Owe\ ([=o]), verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Owed} ([=o]d), ({Ought} ([add]t) obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. {Owing} ([=o]"[i^]ng).] [OE. owen, awen, aghen, to have, own, have (to do), hence, owe, AS. [=a]gan to have; akin to G. eigen, adjective, own, Icel. eiga to have, Dan. eie, Sw. ["a]ga, Goth. ['a]igan, Skr. [imac][,c]. [root]110. Cf. {Ought}, v., 2d {Own}, {Fraught}.]
1. To possess; to have, as the rightful owner; to own. [Obs.]
Thou dost here usurp The name thou ow'st not. --Shak.
2. To have or possess, as something derived or bestowed; to be obliged to ascribe (something to some source); to be indebted or obliged for; as, he owed his wealth to his father; he owed his victory to his lieutenants. --Milton.
O deem thy fall not owed to man's decree. --Pope.
3. Hence: To have or be under an obigation to restore, pay, or render (something) in return or compensation for something received; to be indebted in the sum of; as, the subject owes allegiance; the fortunate owe assistance to the unfortunate.
The one ought five hundred pence, and the other fifty. --Bible (1551).
A son owes help and honor to his father. --Holyday.
Note: Owe was sometimes followed by an objective clause introduced by the infinitive. ''Ye owen to incline and bow your heart.'' --Chaucer.
4. To have an obligation to (some one) on account of something done or received; to be indebted to; as, to owe the grocer for supplies, or a laborer for services.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
owe
verb
1: be obliged to pay or repay
2: be indebted to, in an abstract or intellectual sense; "This new theory owes much to Einstein's Relativity Theory"
3: be in debt; "She owes me $200"; "The thesis owes much to his adviser"
From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:
OWE, v. To have (and to hold) a debt. The word formerly signified not indebtedness, but possession; it meant "own," and in the minds of debtors there is still a good deal of confusion between assets and liabilities.
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