owing

[ oh-ing ]
/ ˈoʊ ɪŋ /

adjective

owed, unpaid, or due for payment: to pay what is owing.

Idioms for owing

    owing to, because of; as a result of: Owing to a mistake in the payroll department, some of us were issued incorrect checks.

Origin of owing

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at owe, -ing2

OTHER WORDS FROM owing

un·ow·ing, adjective

Definition for owing (2 of 2)

owe
[ oh ]
/ oʊ /

verb (used with object), owed, ow·ing.

to be under obligation to pay or repay: to owe money to the bank; to owe the bank interest on a mortgage.
to be in debt to: He says he doesn't owe anybody.
to be indebted (to) as the cause or source of: to owe one's fame to good fortune.
to have or bear (a feeling or attitude) toward someone or something: to owe gratitude to one's rescuers.
Obsolete. to possess; own.

verb (used without object), owed, ow·ing.

to be in debt: Neither lend nor owe. Who owes for the antipasto?

Origin of owe

before 900; Middle English owen to possess, be under obligation, have to pay; Old English āgan to possess; cognate with Old High German eigan, Old Norse eiga. See own, ought1

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH owe

O oh owe ode owed

Example sentences from the Web for owing

British Dictionary definitions for owing (1 of 2)

owing
/ (ˈəʊɪŋ) /

adjective

(postpositive) owed; due
owing to (preposition) because of or on account of

British Dictionary definitions for owing (2 of 2)

owe
/ (əʊ) /

verb (mainly tr)

to be under an obligation to pay (someone) to the amount of
(intr) to be in debt he still owes for his house
(often foll by to) to have as a result (of) he owes his success to chance
to feel the need or obligation to do, give, etc to owe somebody thanks; to owe it to oneself to rest
to hold or maintain in the mind or heart (esp in the phrase owe a grudge)

Word Origin for owe

Old English āgan to have (C12: to have to); related to Old Saxon ēgan, Old High German eigan