Antonyms for owing


Grammar : Adj
Spell : oh-ing
Phonetic Transcription : ˈoʊ ɪŋ


Definition of owing

Origin :
  • Old English agan (past tense ahte) "to have, own," from Proto-Germanic *aiganan "to possess" (cf. Old Frisian aga, Old Norse eiga, Old High German eigan, Gothic aigan "to possess, have"), from PIE *aik- "to be master of, possess" (cf. Sanskrit ise "he owns," isah "owner, lord, ruler;" Avestan is- "riches," isvan- "well-off, rich").
  • Sense of "to have to repay" began in late Old English with the phrase agan to geldanne literally "to own to yield," which was used to translate Latin debere (earlier in Old English this would have been sceal "shall"); by late 12c. the phrase had been shortened to simply agan, and own (v.) took over this word's original sense.
  • An original Germanic preterite-present verb (cf. can, dare, may, etc.). New past tense form owed arose 15c. to replace oughte, which developed into ought (v.).
  • adj unpaid
Example sentences :
  • Made rather a late start, owing to some of the horses straying.
  • Extract from : « Explorations in Australia » by John Forrest
  • But, if I do not ask, they may allege, that my not going is owing to myself.
  • Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
  • It was unfortunate as to time, owing to the condition of affairs in Italy.
  • Extract from : « The Grand Old Man » by Richard B. Cook
  • The office had been closed, owing to a death, and Palmer was in possession of a holiday.
  • Extract from : « K » by Mary Roberts Rinehart
  • The Causses, owing to their isolated position, may be said to have escaped a history.
  • Extract from : « The Roof of France » by Matilda Betham-Edwards
  • Owing to the time of the year and to the abominable weather there were hardly any passengers.
  • Extract from : « The Secret Agent » by Joseph Conrad
  • My steadiness was owing, in a great measure, to the following circumstances.
  • Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
  • We are informed that the solemnization of it was owing to a miracle.
  • Extract from : « Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. II » by Francis Augustus Cox
  • Your distress is owing to the vast disparity between you and them.
  • Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
  • All his trouble, and mine too, is owing to his faulty character.
  • Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson

Synonyms for owing

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019