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Vow vs Owe - What's the difference?

vow | owe |

As verbs the difference between vow and owe

is that vow is (ambitransitive) to make a vow; to promise while owe is to be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone.

As a noun vow

is a solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order.

vow

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order.
  • A declaration or assertion.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-14, author= Sam Leith
    • , volume=189, issue=1, page=37, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Where the profound meets the profane , passage=Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself.}}

    Usage notes

    * One normally makes'' or ''takes'' a vow, or simply ''vows (see below). * Commonly mentioned vows include those of silence'', ''obedience'', ''poverty'', ''chastity'', and ''celibacy . * 'to keep/pay/fulfill a vow' = to honor a vow * 'to break a vow' = to dishonor a vow

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To make a vow; to promise.
  • * Bible, Eccl. v. 4
    • When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.
  • * Richard Baxter
    • We do not vow that we will never sin, nor neglect a duty (nor ought we to do so).
  • To make a vow regarding (something).
    • The wronged woman vowed revenge.
  • To declare publicly that one has made a vow, usually to show one's determination or to announce an act of retaliation.
    • The rebels vowed to continue their fight.

    Derived terms

    * exchange vows * take vows * vow of celibacy * vow of chastity * vow of silence * vow of poverty

    Related terms

    * devote * vote * votive

    External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

    *

    owe

    English

    Verb

    (ow)
  • 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.

    • 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

    *