/ əʊn; NAmE oʊn/ adjective , pronoun , verb
■ adjective , pronoun
1.
used to emphasize that sth belongs to or is connected with sb :
It was her own idea.
I saw it with my own eyes (= I didn't hear about it from somebody else) .
Is the car your own?
Your day off is your own (= you can spend it as you wish) .
Our children are grown up and have children of their own .
For reasons of his own (= particular reasons that perhaps only he knew about) , he refused to join the club.
The accident happened through no fault of her own .
He wants to come into the business on his own terms .
I need a room of my own .
I have my very own room at last.
HELP NOTE : Own cannot be used after an article:
I need my own room.
I need an own room.
It's good to have your own room.
It's good to have the own room.
2.
done or produced by and for yourself :
She makes all her own clothes.
He has to cook his own meals.
•
IDIOMS
- come into your / its own
- get your own back (on sb)
- hold your own (against sb/sth) (in sth)
- (all) on your own
—more at devil , mind noun , sake (I), sound noun
■ verb (not used in the progressive tenses)
1.
[ vn ] to have sth that belongs to you, especially because you have bought it :
Do you own your house or do you rent it?
I don't own anything of any value.
Most of the apartments are privately owned.
an American owned company
2.
own to sth / to doing sth ( old-fashioned ) to admit that sth is true :
[ v ]
He owned to a feeling of guilt.
[ v ( that )]
She owned (that) she had been present.
•
IDIOMS
- behave / act as if you own the place | think you own the place
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- own up (to sth / to doing sth)
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English āgen (adjective and pronoun) owned, possessed , past participle of āgan owe ; the verb ( Old English āgnian possess , also make own's own ) was originally from the adjective, later probably reintroduced from owner .