oblige
VerbUS[uh-blahyj]/əˈblaɪdʒ/2 syllables
Open English WordNet
Verb (3)obliges, obliged, obliging
- force somebody to do something“We compel all students to fill out this form”Synonyms: compelobligateMore general induce, stimulateMore specific coerce, enforce, force, condemn, shame, clamor, walkCauses act, move
- bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted“He's held by a contract”“I'll hold you by your promise”Synonyms: bindholdobligateMore general relateMore specific pledge, tie down, indenture, article
- provide a service or favor for someone“We had to oblige him”Synonyms: accommodateMore general comply, follow
Word of the day · Oct 11About this word
expediteverb
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
O·blige′ (ō-blīj′; 277), transitive verb [past tense & past participle Obliged (ō-blījd′); present participle & verbal noun Obliging (ō-blī′jĭng).]
Origin: OF. obligier, F. obliger, L. obligare; ob (see Ob-) + ligare to bind. See Ligament, and cf. Obligate.
1. To attach, as by a bond. obsolete
He had obliged all the senators and magistrates firmly to himself.— Francis, Baron Verulam Bacon
2. To constrain by physical, moral, or legal force; to put under obligation to do or forbear something.
The obliging power of the law is neither founded in, nor to be measured by, the rewards and punishments annexed to it.— Robert South
Religion obliges men to the practice of those virtues which conduce to the preservation of our health.— John Tilllotson
3. To bind by some favor rendered; to place under a debt; hence, to do a favor to; to please; to gratify; to accommodate.
Thus man, by his own strength, to heaven would soar, And would not be obliged to God for more.— John Dryden
The gates before it are brass, and the whole much obliged to Pope Urban VIII.— John Evelyn
I shall be more obliged to you than I can express.— Eliz. R. Montagu
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54