own Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb have ownership or possession of
    have; possess.
    • He owns three houses in Florida
    • How many cars does she have?
  2. adjective satellite belonging to or on behalf of a specified person (especially yourself); preceded by a possessive
    ain.
    • for your own use
    • do your own thing
    • she makes her own clothes
    • `ain' is Scottish

WordNet

Own transitive verb
Etymology
OE. unnen to grant, permit, be pleased with, AS. unnan to grant; akin to OS. giunnan, G. gönnen, Icel. unna; of uncertain origin. This word has been confused with own to possess.
Definitions
  1. To grant; to acknowledge; to admit to be true; to confess; to recognize in a particular character; as, we own that we have forfeited your love.
    The wakeful bloodhound rose, and shook his hide But his sagacious eye an inmate owns. Keats.
Own adjective
Etymology
OE. owen, awen, auen, aughen, AS. agen, p. p. of agan to possess; akin to OS. egan, G. & D. eigen, Icel. eiginn, Sw. & Dan. egen. See Owe.
Definitions
  1. Belonging to; belonging exclusively or especially to; peculiar; -- most frequently following a possessive pronoun, as my, our, thy, your, his, her, its, their, in order to emphasize or intensify the idea of property, peculiar interest, or exclusive ownership; as, my own father; my own composition; my own idea; at my own price. "No man was his own [i. e., no man was master of himself, or in possession of his senses]." Shak. Shak.
Own transitive verb
Etymology
OE. ohnien, ahnien, AS. agnian, fr. agen own, a. See Own, a.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Owned ; present participle & verbal noun Owning
Definitions
  1. To hold as property; to have a legal or rightful title to; to be the proprietor or possessor of; to possess; as, to own a house.

Webster 1913