Word Study
own
CIDE DICTIONARY
own, v. t. [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.].
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. [1913 Webster]
"The wakeful bloodhound rose, and shook his hide;
But his sagacious eye an inmate owns." [1913 Webster]
But his sagacious eye an inmate owns." [1913 Webster]
own, a. [OE. owen, awen, auen, aughen, AS. āgen, p. p. of āgan to possess; akin to OS. , G. & D. eigen, Icel. eiginn, Sw. & Dan. egen. Owe.].
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. Shak. [1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
own, adj. & v.
--adj. (prec. by possessive)
1 a belonging to oneself or itself; not another's (saw it with my own eyes). b individual, peculiar, particular (a charm all of its own).
2 used to emphasize identity rather than possession (cooks his own meals).
3 (absol.) a private property (is it your own?). b kindred (among my own).
--v.
1 tr. have as property; possess.
2 a tr. confess; admit as valid, true, etc. (own their faults; owns he did not know). b intr. (foll. by to) confess to (owned to a prejudice).
3 tr. acknowledge paternity, authorship, or possession of.
--adj. (prec. by possessive)
1 a belonging to oneself or itself; not another's (saw it with my own eyes). b individual, peculiar, particular (a charm all of its own).
2 used to emphasize identity rather than possession (cooks his own meals).
3 (absol.) a private property (is it your own?). b kindred (among my own).
--v.
1 tr. have as property; possess.
2 a tr. confess; admit as valid, true, etc. (own their faults; owns he did not know). b intr. (foll. by to) confess to (owned to a prejudice).
3 tr. acknowledge paternity, authorship, or possession of.
Idiom
come into one's own
1 receive one's due.
2 achieve recognition. get one's own back (often foll. by on) colloq. get revenge. hold one's own maintain one's position; not be defeated or lose strength. of one's own belonging to oneself alone.
on one's own
1 alone.
2 independently, without help. own brand (often attrib.) goods manufactured specially for a retailer and bearing the retailer's name.
own goal
1 a goal scored (usu. by mistake) against the scorer's own side.
2 an act or initiative that has the unintended effect of harming one's own interests. own up (often foll. by to) confess frankly.
1 receive one's due.
2 achieve recognition. get one's own back (often foll. by on) colloq. get revenge. hold one's own maintain one's position; not be defeated or lose strength. of one's own belonging to oneself alone.
on one's own
1 alone.
2 independently, without help. own brand (often attrib.) goods manufactured specially for a retailer and bearing the retailer's name.
own goal
1 a goal scored (usu. by mistake) against the scorer's own side.
2 an act or initiative that has the unintended effect of harming one's own interests. own up (often foll. by to) confess frankly.
Derivative
-owned adj. (in comb.).
Etymology
OE agen, agnian: see OWE
THESAURUS
own
accept, acknowledge, admit, admit everything, agree provisionally, allow, assent grudgingly, avow, by one, come clean, concede, confess, cop a plea, enjoy, express general agreement, free and clear, go along with, grant, have, have title to, held, hold, in fee, in fee simple, in hand, in seisin, in stock, in store, let on, not oppose, on hand, open up, out with it, own up, owned, plead guilty, possess, possessed, recognize, retain, spill, spill it, spit it out, tell all, tell the truth, warrant, yieldROGET THESAURUS
own
Possession
VB possess, have, hold, occupy, enjoy, be possessed of, have in hand, own, command, inherit, come to, come in for, engross, monopolize, forestall, regrate, impropriate, have all to oneself, corner, have a firmhold of, get into one's hand, belong to, appertain to, pertain to, be in one's possession, vest in.Property
VB possess, be the possessor of, own, have for one's own, have for one's very own, come in for, inherit, savor of the realty, be one's property, belong to, appertain to, pertain to.Assent
VB assent, give assent, yield assent, nod assent, acquiesce, agree, receive, accept, accede, accord, concur, lend oneself to, consent, coincide, reciprocate, go with, be at one with, go along with, chime in with, strike in with, close in with, echo, enter into one's views, agree in opinion, vote, give one's voice for, recognize, subscribe to, conform to, defer to, say yes to, say ditto, amen to, say aye to, acknowledge, own, admit, allow, avow, confess, concede, come round to, abide by, permit, arrive at an understanding, come to an understanding, come to terms, come to an agreement, confirm, affirm, ratify, appprove, indorse, countersign, corroborate, go with the stream, swim with the stream, go with the flow, blow with the wind, be in fashion, join in the chorus, join the crowd, be one of the guys, be part of the group, go with the crowd, don't make waves, be in every mouth.Disclosure
VB disclose, discover, dismask, draw the veil, draw aside the veil, lift the veil, raise the veil, lift up the veil, remove the veil, tear aside the veil, tear the curtain, unmask, unveil, unfold, uncover, unseal, unkennel, take off the seal, break the seal, lay open, lay bare, expose, open, open up, bare, bring to light, divulge, reveal, break, squeal, tattle, sing, rat, snitch, let into the secret, reveal the secrets of the prison house, tell, breathe, utter, blab, peach, let out, let fall, let drop, let slip, spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, betray, tell tales, come out of school, come out with, give vent, give utterance to, open the lips, blurt out, vent, whisper about, speak out, make public, unriddle, split, acknowledge, allow, concede, grant, admit, own, own up to, confess, avow, throw off all disguise, turn inside out, make a clean breast, show one's hand, show one's cards, unburden one's mind, disburden one's mind, disburden one's conscience, disburden one's heart, open one's mind, lay bare one's mind, tell a piece of one's mind, unbosom oneself, own to the soft impeachment, say the truth, speak the truth, turn King's evidence, Queen's evidence, acknowledge the corn, raise the mask, drop the mask, lift the mask, remove the mask, throw off the mask, expose, lay open, undeceive, unbeguile, disabuse, set right, correct, open the eyes of, d_esillusionner, be disclosed, transpire, come to light, come in sight, become known, escape the lips, come out, ooze out, creep out, leak out, peep out, crop-out, show its face, show its colors, discover itself, break through the clouds, flash on the mind.For further exploring for "own" in Webster Dictionary Online
