Owe vs Incur - What's the difference?
owe | incur |
To be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone.
*1854 , Dickens, Hard Times , Chapter 7:
*:He inherited a fair fortune from his uncle, but owed it all before he came into it, and spent it twice over immediately afterwards.
To have debt, to be in debt.
To bring upon oneself or expose oneself to, especially something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to become liable or subject to.
* 1891 , Henry Graham Dakyns (translator), The works of Xenophon , ",
* 1910 , ,
(chiefly, legal) To render somebody liable or subject to.
* 1861 , ,
(obsolete) To enter or pass into.
(obsolete) To fall within a period or scope; to occur; to run into danger.
To render liable or subject to; to occasion.
* Chapman
As verbs the difference between owe and incur
is that owe is to be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone while incur is to bring upon oneself or expose oneself to, especially something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to become liable or subject to.owe
English
Verb
(ow)Usage notes
* The original past tense form was ought, which during Middle English began to be used with indefinite signification and has become a distinct verb. The original past participle has become the adjective own.Anagrams
*incur
English
Alternative forms
* encurVerb
(incurr)- [T]he master in his wrath may easily incur worse evil himself than he inflicts—[...]
- And here it is to be noted that hatred is incurred as well on account of good actions as of bad;
- The least neglect of duty will incur [...] the penalty of thirty-nine well laid on in the morning.
- Lest you incur me much more damage in my fame than you have done me pleasure in preserving my life.