own
♦♦♦ own /'oʊn/ (owns owning owned)
1 [ADJ] poss ADJ
You use own to indicate that something belongs to a particular person or thing.
My wife decided I should have my own shop...
He could no longer trust his own judgement...
His office had its own private entrance.
[PRON] poss PRON
Own is also a pronoun.
He saw the Major's face a few inches from his own.
2 [ADJ] poss ADJ
You use own to indicate that something is used by, or is characteristic of, only one person, thing, or group.
Jennifer insisted on her own room...
I let her tell me about it in her own way...
Each nation has its own peculiarities when it comes to doing business.
[PRON] poss PRON
Own is also a pronoun.
This young lady has a sense of style that is very much her own.
3 [ADJ] poss ADJ
You use own to indicate that someone does something without any help from other people.
They enjoy making their own decisions...
He'll have to make his own arrangements.
[PRON] poss PRON
Own is also a pronoun.
There's no career structure, you have to create your own.
4 [VERB] V n
If you own something, it is your property.
His father owns a local pub...
5 [PHRASE]
If you have something you can call your own, it belongs only to you, rather than being controlled by or shared with someone else.
I would like a place I could call my own.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something comes into their own, they become very successful or start to perform very well because the circumstances are right.
The goalkeeper came into his own with a series of brilliant saves...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR on n
If you get your own back on someone, you have your revenge on them because of something bad that they have done to you. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL)
Renshaw reveals 20 bizarre ways in which women have got their own back on former loved ones.
8 [PHRASE] n PHR
If you say that someone has a particular thing of their own, you mean that that thing belongs or relates to them, rather than to other people.
He set out in search of ideas for starting a company of his own.
9 [PHRASE] n PHR
If someone or something has a particular quality or characteristic of their own, that quality or characteristic is especially theirs, rather than being shared by other things or people of that type.
The cries of the seagulls gave this part of the harbour a fascinating character all of its own.
10 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
When you are on your own, you are alone.
He lives on his own...
I told him how scared I was of being on my own...
= alone
11 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you do something on your own, you do it without any help from other people.
I work best on my own.
...the jobs your child can do on her own.
12
to hold your own: see holdown brand (own brands)
[N-COUNT]
Own brands are products which have the trademark or label of the shop which sells them, especially a supermarket chain. They are normally cheaper than other popular brands. (BUSINESS)
This range is substantially cheaper than any of the other own brands available.
...own-brand cola.own goal (own goals)
1 [N-COUNT] usu sing
In sport, if someone scores an own goal, they accidentally score a goal for the team they are playing against. (BRIT)
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing
If a course of action that someone takes harms their own interests, you can refer to it as an own goal. (BRIT)
Because of the legislation I could not employ a woman. Women have made themselves unemployable. They have scored an own goal.own la|bel (own labels)
[N-COUNT]
Own label is the same as own brand. (BUSINESS)
People will trade down to own labels which are cheaper.own up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P to n/-ing
If you own up to something wrong that you have done, you admit that you did it.
The headmaster is waiting for someone to own up...
Last year my husband owned up to a secret affair with his secretary.
= admit
1 [ADJ] poss ADJ
You use own to indicate that something belongs to a particular person or thing.
My wife decided I should have my own shop...
He could no longer trust his own judgement...
His office had its own private entrance.
[PRON] poss PRON
Own is also a pronoun.
He saw the Major's face a few inches from his own.
2 [ADJ] poss ADJ
You use own to indicate that something is used by, or is characteristic of, only one person, thing, or group.
Jennifer insisted on her own room...
I let her tell me about it in her own way...
Each nation has its own peculiarities when it comes to doing business.
[PRON] poss PRON
Own is also a pronoun.
This young lady has a sense of style that is very much her own.
3 [ADJ] poss ADJ
You use own to indicate that someone does something without any help from other people.
They enjoy making their own decisions...
He'll have to make his own arrangements.
[PRON] poss PRON
Own is also a pronoun.
There's no career structure, you have to create your own.
4 [VERB] V n
If you own something, it is your property.
His father owns a local pub...
5 [PHRASE]
If you have something you can call your own, it belongs only to you, rather than being controlled by or shared with someone else.
I would like a place I could call my own.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone or something comes into their own, they become very successful or start to perform very well because the circumstances are right.
The goalkeeper came into his own with a series of brilliant saves...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects, oft PHR on n
If you get your own back on someone, you have your revenge on them because of something bad that they have done to you. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL)
Renshaw reveals 20 bizarre ways in which women have got their own back on former loved ones.
8 [PHRASE] n PHR
If you say that someone has a particular thing of their own, you mean that that thing belongs or relates to them, rather than to other people.
He set out in search of ideas for starting a company of his own.
9 [PHRASE] n PHR
If someone or something has a particular quality or characteristic of their own, that quality or characteristic is especially theirs, rather than being shared by other things or people of that type.
The cries of the seagulls gave this part of the harbour a fascinating character all of its own.
10 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
When you are on your own, you are alone.
He lives on his own...
I told him how scared I was of being on my own...
= alone
11 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you do something on your own, you do it without any help from other people.
I work best on my own.
...the jobs your child can do on her own.
12
to hold your own: see holdown brand (own brands)
[N-COUNT]
Own brands are products which have the trademark or label of the shop which sells them, especially a supermarket chain. They are normally cheaper than other popular brands. (BUSINESS)
This range is substantially cheaper than any of the other own brands available.
...own-brand cola.own goal (own goals)
1 [N-COUNT] usu sing
In sport, if someone scores an own goal, they accidentally score a goal for the team they are playing against. (BRIT)
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing
If a course of action that someone takes harms their own interests, you can refer to it as an own goal. (BRIT)
Because of the legislation I could not employ a woman. Women have made themselves unemployable. They have scored an own goal.own la|bel (own labels)
[N-COUNT]
Own label is the same as own brand. (BUSINESS)
People will trade down to own labels which are cheaper.own up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P to n/-ing
If you own up to something wrong that you have done, you admit that you did it.
The headmaster is waiting for someone to own up...
Last year my husband owned up to a secret affair with his secretary.
= admit