own

determiner, pronoun

/əʊn/

/oʊn/

Definition

A2 belonging to or done by a particular person or thing: Each neighbourhood in New York has its own characteristics. I'd like to have my very own apartment. He wanted an apartment of his own. She makes all her own clothes. I'm going to be out tonight, so you'll have to get your own dinner (= prepare it yourself). Was that your own idea or did someone suggest it to you? You'll have to make up your own mind (= decide by yourself) what you want to do. I'd never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes/heard it with my own ears. "Is that your mum's car?" "No, it's my own (= it belongs to me)." James Joyce wrote in a style that was all his own (= that was not like that of anyone else). We like to take care of our own (= take care of people who are members of our family, or who work for us).Particular and individualHaving and owning - general words (all) on your own B1 alone: I like living on my own.AloneSeparateness and isolation in space B1 without any help: I did my buttons up all on my own, Mummy.Unaided and working alone in your own time › mainly UK If you do something in your own time, you do it at the speed at which you want to work.Calm and relaxed › UK (US on your own time) during the time when you are not officially working: You may only use company computers to access the Web in your own time.Passive and not working

(Definition of own determinerpronoun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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