OE Ælfric (Royal 15 B.xxii) 110 Meus min hæfð vocativvs na þæs agneres [c1225 Worcester ownæres], ac ðæs oðres hades þe he to sprecð.
1340 (1866) 37 (MED) Zuych is þe zenne..of ham of religion þet byeþ oȝeneres.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 345 Þinges þat were i-ȝeve to abbayes in olde tyme beeþ now more i-wasted in glotenye and outrage of honures [v.rr. ouners, owneres; ?a1475 anon. tr. governoures; L. possessorum].
1429 IV. 345/2 The saide trespassours..the hausters of the same trowes cutte atwayne, and maneshud the owners of the saide goodes.
1491 c. 2 §5 Suche persons as the same feoffoure or ownour shall depute and assigne.
1552 Abp. J. Hamilton Prol. f. 2 I am thair only awner, Lord & maister.
1607 E. Topsell 663 His seruants seeing a stray Sow come among them, the owner whereof they did not know, presently they slew her.
1631 in A. I. Ritchie (1880) 226 The awiners of the seittis wer not willing heirto.
1672 24 Feb. With the said John Staffin elder who is onlie ouner of the said boat.
1724 J. Henley et al. tr. Pliny the Younger I. iv. vi. 162 I am Owner of nothing there but a House and Garden.
1774 III. p. xxviii In case of neglect or refusal..such owners and riders shall be immediately declared incapable of running or riding any more.
1782 F. Burney V. x. iv. 253 She now lived upon an estate of which she no longer was the owner.
1844 J. Williams i. i. 17 No man is in law the absolute owner of lands.
1869 J. S. Mill ii. 56 Debarring the rightful owner from its use.
1898 A. E. T. Watson v. 124 The winner of a selling race has..to be sold by auction; the owner receives no more than the entered selling price.
1916 E. H. Porter i. 3 At the door appeared a pair of dark, wistful eyes. ‘Daddy!’ called the owner of the eyes.
1972 6 May 11/3 A famous owner..was watching his horse on the gallops.
1997 J. E. Lendon ii. 67 A slave's former owner enjoyed patronage.