owe Copy link • owe: dēbeo, 2 (gen. term): to o. money for anything, pecuniam pro aliqua re d., Cic. Ph. 2, 29, 71: to pay the debts you o., dissolvere quae debes, Ter. Ph. 4, 3, 51. Fig.: to owe any one gratitude, gratiam alicui d., Cic. Ph. 2, 11, 27: to o. a great deal to any one, alicui plurimum d., Caes. B. G. 5, 27. See also indebted. Phr.: to o. money, in aere alieno esse, aere alieno laborare, etc. (v. debt): to acknowledge that one o.s something to some one, alicui aliquid acceptum referre, Cic. Phil. 2, 5, extr.: I o.d him nothing (was under no obligation), obligatus ei nihil eram, id. Fam. 6, 11.