own
/əʊn/ (bre, ipa) · /oʊn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈōn/ (ame, mw) · /əʊn/ (ame, ipa)
own — determiner
1. used to show that something is a certain person's, or is made or done by that pe
used to show that something is a certain person's, or is made or done by that person rather than by someone else.
Nina packed her own lunch before the class trip.
possessive + own + noun
The band wrote its own song for the winter concert.
After weeks of saving, Omar bought his own bicycle.
Each child decorated their own kite at the beach festival.
- personal
stresses that something belongs to one person
- private
often suggests not for public or shared use
- individual
more formal and common in official contexts
- shared
used when the same thing belongs to or is used by more than one person
文法句型
my/your/his/her/our/their + own + noun
somebody's + own + noun
用法筆記
Usually follows a possessive word such as my, her, or the company's. It adds emphasis, so 'her own bag' sounds stronger than simply 'her bag'.
常見錯誤
2. used to say that each person or thing has a separate one, instead of sharing the
used to say that each person or thing has a separate one, instead of sharing the same one with others.
Each nurse has her own locker beside the staff room.
own + noun for a separate item
The twins are old enough to sleep in their own beds.
Leo wants his own desk instead of the kitchen table.
By June, the cafe had its own oven for baking morning buns.
文法句型
have + one's own + noun
want + one's own + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 marks who something belongs to, while this sense stresses that the person or thing has a separate version of it.
3. used to show that a person does something alone, using no one else's help.
used to show that a person does something alone, using no one else's help.
Lina learned to ride a bike on her own last summer.
on one's own = without help
After two lessons, Ben fixed the loose shelf on his own.
After Dad left early, Eva ran the cake stall on her own.
Maya filled out the hospital form on her own.
- alone
general word for being without other people or help
- independently
slightly more formal and often used in instructions
- unaided
formal word stressing the absence of help
文法句型
on my/your/his/her/our/their own
do something on one's own
用法筆記
Most often appears in the phrase 'on your own' or a similar possessive pattern. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about not sharing something rather than doing it without help.
常見錯誤
4. said when someone may finish a task at whatever speed feels comfortable, with no
said when someone may finish a task at whatever speed feels comfortable, with no pressure to hurry.
You can finish the worksheet in your own time after lunch.
in one's own time for pace
Dr. Wu told Marcus to read the form in his own time.
The teacher left the paints out so children could work in their own time.
At the museum table, visitors folded paper cranes in their own time.
- slowly
focuses only on a low speed, not on personal control
- without hurry
describes the relaxed pace more directly
- quickly
with speed rather than personal pacing
- under pressure
not at a self-chosen speed
文法句型
in one's own time
用法筆記
This fixed expression talks about speed, not free time. Distinguish it from sense 5, where the same words mean time outside work.
5. said about hours outside your job or official duties, when you are free to do pe
said about hours outside your job or official duties, when you are free to do personal things.
Rina paints wedding cards in her own time after office hours.
in one's own time = outside work
The chef studies French at night in his own time.
Ken repairs old radios in his own time on weekends.
Many teachers mark papers in their own time at home.
- free time
plain everyday term for time not spent working
- spare time
common for unused personal time
- off-duty time
more specific to work or official roles
- working hours
time when you are officially working
文法句型
in one's own time
用法筆記
This meaning refers to personal free time outside work. Distinguish it from sense 4, where the same phrase means doing something at a pace you choose.
own — verb
- ownpresent simple I / you / we / they
- owns3rd person singular
- owning-ing form
- ownedpast simple
1. to be the legal owner of something such as land, a business, or an object.
to be the legal owner of something such as land, a business, or an object.
Rosa and her brother own a small farm near Tainan.
own + property or business
The company owns three buses for airport staff.
Do you own this blue suitcase, or is it Marco's?
By age thirty, Hana owned her first apartment in Taipei.
文法句型
own + property/business/object
用法筆記
Usually takes a direct object naming property, money-related assets, or a business. When it simply means possession, English normally uses it in simple forms rather than continuous ones.
常見錯誤
2. to say openly that something is true or that you were responsible, especially af
to say openly that something is true or that you were responsible, especially after resisting the idea at first.
At last, the driver owned that he broke the mirror.
own + that-clause for admission
Under pressure, the singer owned to using someone else's joke.
own to + -ing form
Maria never owned to reading her sister's diary.
By dinner, Owen owned that he ate the last dumpling.
- admit
the normal everyday choice
- confess
often stronger and more personal
- acknowledge
more formal and sometimes less emotional
- deny
say something is not true
文法句型
own that + clause
own to + noun/-ing
用法筆記
This sense is formal and now uncommon in everyday speech. It is intransitive, so it usually appears with 'to' or a following clause, not with a direct object.
常見錯誤
3. to beat someone or handle a situation so easily that you look completely in cont
to beat someone or handle a situation so easily that you look completely in control, or to perform with striking success.
Our school owned Central High in the final set.
informal: own + opponent
On stage, Mei totally owned the piano solo.
informal: own + performance
The rookie striker owned the match and scored twice.
During the debate, Carla owned her opponent with calm facts.
文法句型
own + opponent/task/stage
own + match/show
用法筆記
Common in casual speech and online writing. With a direct object, it suggests overwhelming control over a person, task, or moment; without an object, it means performing amazingly well.
4. to accept that something is yours to deal with and stop blaming other people for
to accept that something is yours to deal with and stop blaming other people for it.
The mayor owned the error and apologized on local radio.
own + mistake/problem = accept responsibility
Please own your decision before the rest of the team.
After the spill, Marcus owned the mess and cleaned everything.
The company finally owned its safety problem in court.
- accept
broader and more neutral
- face
focuses on dealing directly with something unpleasant
- acknowledge
can be weaker because it does not always imply responsibility
文法句型
own + mistake/problem/decision
own + the mess
用法筆記
The object is usually a mistake, weakness, decision, or another problem connected with you. Distinguish from sense 2, where you merely admit something; here you also accept responsibility for it.
常見錯誤
own — adjective / pronoun
1. used to add strong emphasis that a thing, person, or relationship really belongs
used to add strong emphasis that a thing, person, or relationship really belongs to someone or is personally connected with them.
Even the mayor called it his own mistake on live radio.
possessive + own for emphasis
The tiny studio finally felt like Mia's own after she painted it.
possessive + own with noun understood
No one touched the lunch box because it was clearly Ben's own.
Grandpa kept his own map beside the guide's bigger one.
- personal
often close in meaning but less emphatic
- particular
can stress one special item, not necessarily possession
- private
often focuses on restricted access rather than emphasis
- shared
not belonging especially to one person
文法句型
his/her/their own + noun
somebody's own
用法筆記
Usually comes after a possessive word such as my, his, or the school's. It can also stand alone after a possessive when the noun is already understood from context.
常見錯誤
own — adjective
- ownpositive
- ownercomparative
- ownestsuperlative
1. belonging to the same person, animal, group, or thing already being talked about
belonging to the same person, animal, group, or thing already being talked about, rather than to another one.
The island grows its own rice and buys little from ships.
subject and owner are the same
Each team packed its own water for the mountain walk.
The cat licked its own paw after the jump.
The school prints its own bus passes every term.
- internal
close only when something belongs within a group or organization
- self-generated
focuses on being produced by the same person or thing
文法句型
subject + own + noun
its/their own + noun
用法筆記
Often used when the subject and the owner are the same, especially with animals, organizations, places, or groups. Distinguish from 'adjective, pronoun/1', which mainly adds emphasis to possession.
own — pronoun
1. a thing or things belonging to the same person already mentioned, with the noun
a thing or things belonging to the same person already mentioned, with the noun left unstated because it is clear.
The hotel lends towels, but I brought my own.
possessive + own with noun left out
These gloves are the shop's, but that blue pair is our own.
Rita forgot a towel, so she used her own at the pool.
The dancers shared makeup, but each kept their own in a pouch.
- shared one
something used or owned together rather than separately
文法句型
my/your/his/her/our/their own
keep/use/bring + one's own
用法筆記
Common after possessive words such as my, our, or their when the noun is obvious from context. The noun is omitted, but the possessive word stays.