own
gb/ˈoʊn/ us/ˈoʊn/
A1
English
~ 1600
van, birtokol, tulajdonában van, saját, lealáz, szétaláz
VERB
A1
1
Usage pattern:
to own [something]
She owns three houses in the city.
Három háza van a városban.
Do you own this laptop?
A tiéd ez a laptop?
They own a small bakery in town.
He owns several shares in the company.
I don't own any pets.
Learner examples
I own a red car.
Van egy piros autóm.
She owns a dog.
Van egy kutyája.
We own a small shop.
Do you own this phone?
They own a big house.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'own' with 'have'. 'Own' emphasizes legal possession, while 'have' can mean simply holding or experiencing something.
Meaning
Have something as property
Collocations
own property
|own a car
|own a house
|own shares
|own a business
Synonyms
possess (More formal; often used in legal or technical contexts.)
Antonyms
rent (To use something temporarily in exchange for payment, without owning it.)
Themes
daily life
|business
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To have something that belongs to you.
To have legal or rightful possession of something.
A2
2
saját
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone's] own [noun]
She has her own apartment now.
Most már saját lakása van.
Bring your own lunch to school.
Hozd magaddal a saját ebédedet az iskolába.
He fixed his own bike.
I have my own reasons for leaving.
Learner examples
This is my own pen.
Ez a saját tollam.
He has his own bed.
Saját ágya van.
We have our own room.
She likes her own clothes.
Common mistake:
Learners may omit 'own' when they want to emphasize possession, making the sentence less clear.
Meaning
Belonging to oneself
Collocations
my own room
|her own idea
|his own car
|their own home
Synonyms
personal (Focuses on being private or individual rather than on ownership.)
Antonyms
shared (Used by more than one person, not belonging to only one.)
Themes
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Belonging to the person or thing we talk about.
Referring to something that belongs to the person or thing mentioned.
VERB
B2
SLANG
3
Usage pattern:
to own [someone]
He totally owned his opponent in the game.
Teljesen lealázta az ellenfelét a játékban.
She owned him during the debate.
Simán lealázta a vitában.
That comedian really owned the heckler.
Learner examples
He owned me in the game.
Lealázott a játékban.
She owned her friend in chess.
Sakkban lealázta a barátját.
The player owned his rival.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand slang 'own' as literal possession rather than defeat; context is key.
Meaning
Defeat or embarrass someone
Collocations
totally own
|completely owned
|owned in debate
Synonyms
crush (Informal; emphasizes overwhelming victory.)
Antonyms
lose to (To be defeated by someone else.)
Themes
internet
|sports
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To beat someone very badly or make them feel stupid, especially online.
(Slang) To completely defeat, outdo, or humiliate someone, especially in a competitive or online setting.
Grammar
Dictionary form
own
IPA
GB/ˈoʊn/
US/ˈoʊn/
Syllables & stress
own (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (own)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: own
Verb
- Base: own
- 3rd Person Singular: owns
- Present Participle: owning
- Past: owned
Word family
Expressions
hold your own
1/hˈoʊld jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn/
idiom
Perform as well as others
To do as well as other people in a situation.
Examples
- Even against more experienced players, she can hold her own.
- He held his own in the discussion with experts.
make something your own
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmθɪŋ jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
Adapt something for yourself
To change something so it feels personal and right for you.
Examples
- She made the recipe her own by adding spices.
- He took the song and made it his own.
on one's own
1/ˈɔn wˈʌnz ˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
Alone or without help
Alone, or without anyone helping you.
Examples
- She traveled to Japan on her own.
- He built the shed on his own.
own up to
1/ˈoʊn ˈʌp tə/
phrasal verb
Admit responsibility for wrongdoing
To say that you did something wrong or bad.
Examples
- He owned up to breaking the window.
- She owned up to her mistake at work.