oblige
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o·blige
(ə-blīj′)v. o·bliged, o·blig·ing, o·blig·es
v.tr.
1. To compel or require (someone) to do something, as by circumstance or legality: When the power went out, we were obliged to fetch water with a bucket. The contract obliges you to meet the deadline.
2. To make indebted or grateful: I am obliged to you for your gracious hospitality.
3. To do a service or favor for: They obliged us by arriving early.
v.intr.
To do a service or favor: The soloist obliged with yet another encore.
[Middle English obligen, from Old French obligier, from Latin obligāre : ob-, to; see ob- + ligāre, to bind; see leig- in Indo-European roots.]
o·blig′er n.
Synonyms: oblige, accommodate, favor
These verbs mean to perform a service or a courteous act for: She obliged me by keeping the personal matter quiet. My brother is accommodating me by lending me money. The singer favored the audience with an encore. See Also Synonyms at force.
These verbs mean to perform a service or a courteous act for: She obliged me by keeping the personal matter quiet. My brother is accommodating me by lending me money. The singer favored the audience with an encore. See Also Synonyms at force.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
oblige
(əˈblaɪdʒ)vb
1. (tr; often passive) to bind or constrain (someone to do something) by legal, moral, or physical means
2. (tr; usually passive) to make indebted or grateful (to someone) by doing a favour or service: we are obliged to you for dinner.
3. to do a service or favour to (someone): she obliged the guest with a song.
[C13: from Old French obliger, from Latin obligāre, from ob- to, towards + ligāre to bind]
oˈbliger n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
o•blige
(əˈblaɪdʒ)v. o•bliged, o•blig•ing. v.t.
1. to require or constrain, as by law, conscience, or force.
2. to bind morally or legally, as by a promise or contract.
3. to place under a debt of gratitude for a favor or service: We are much obliged for the ride.
4. to do a favor or service for; accommodate: He obliged us with a song.
5. to make necessary or obligatory.
v.i. 6. to do a favor or service.
[1250–1300; Middle English < Old French obligier < Latin obligāre to bind. See obligate]
o•blig′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
oblige
If something obliges you to do something, it makes it necessary for you to do it.
This decree obliges unions to delay strikes.
Security requirements obliged her to stop.
If someone feels that they must do something, for example in order to be polite or because they think it is their duty, you can say that they feel obliged to do it.
He looked at me so blankly that I felt obliged to explain.
Be Careful!
You do not use oblige in impersonal structures. You do not say, for example, 'He looked at me so blankly that it obliged me to explain'.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
oblige
Past participle: obliged
Gerund: obliging
| Imperative |
|---|
| oblige |
| oblige |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | oblige - force somebody to do something; "We compel all students to fill out this form" cause, induce, stimulate, make, get, have - cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner; "The ads induced me to buy a VCR"; "My children finally got me to buy a computer"; "My wife made me buy a new sofa" walk - make walk; "He walks the horse up the mountain"; "Walk the dog twice a day" coerce, force, hale, pressure, squeeze - to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"; "He squeezed her for information" clamor - compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring; "They clamored the mayor into building a new park" condemn - compel or force into a particular state or activity; "His devotion to his sick wife condemned him to a lonely existence" shame - compel through a sense of shame; "She shamed him into making amends" |
| 2. |  oblige - bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted; "He's held by a contract"; "I'll hold you by your promise"pledge - bind or secure by a pledge; "I was pledged to silence" article - bind by a contract; especially for a training period indenture, indent - bind by or as if by indentures, as of an apprentice or servant; "an indentured servant" tie down - restrain from independence by an obligation; "He was tied down by his work" relate - have or establish a relationship to; "She relates well to her peers" | |
| 3. |  oblige - provide a service or favor for someone; "We had to oblige him"abide by, comply, follow - act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes; "He complied with my instructions"; "You must comply or else!"; "Follow these simple rules"; "abide by the rules" disoblige - ignore someone's wishes |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
oblige
verb
1. compel, make, force, require, bind, railroad (informal), constrain, necessitate, coerce, impel, dragoon, obligate This decree obliges unions to delay strikes.
2. help, assist, serve, benefit, please, favour, humour, accommodate, indulge, gratify, do someone a service, put yourself out for, do (someone) a favour or a kindness, meet the wants or needs of He is always ready to oblige journalists with information.
help trouble, bother, put out, inconvenience, disoblige, discommode
help trouble, bother, put out, inconvenience, disoblige, discommode
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
oblige
verb1. To cause (a person or thing) to act or move in spite of resistance:
2. To perform a service or a courteous act for:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَتَفَضَّل عَلى، يَعْمَل مَعْروفايُلْزِم
gøre én en tjenestetvinge
kötelezlekötelez
gera greiîaskylda
daryti paslaugąįpareigojimaspadaryti paslaugąprivalomai
izpalīdzētpiespiest darīt kaut kospiest darīt kaut ko
zaviazať si vďačnosťou
prisiliti
iyilik etmekmecbur etmekzorunda bırakmak
oblige
[əˈblaɪdʒ] VT1. (= compel) → obligar, forzar
to oblige sb to do sth → obligar a algn a hacer algo
to be obliged to do sth → estar or verse obligado a hacer algo
you are not obliged to do it → no estás obligado a hacerlo
to oblige sb to do sth → obligar a algn a hacer algo
to be obliged to do sth → estar or verse obligado a hacer algo
you are not obliged to do it → no estás obligado a hacerlo
2. (= gratify) → complacer, hacer un favor a
he did it to oblige us → lo hizo como favor or para complacernos
to oblige sb with a match → hacer a algn el favor de ofrecerle una cerilla
anything to oblige! → ¡cualquier cosa!, ¡con mucho gusto!
to be obliged to sb for sth (= grateful) → estarle agradecido a algn por algo; (= under obligation) → deber un favor a algn por algo
much obliged! → ¡muchísimas gracias!, ¡muy agradecido!
I should be much obliged if → agradecería que + subjun
I am obliged to you for your help → le agradezco mucho su ayuda
he did it to oblige us → lo hizo como favor or para complacernos
to oblige sb with a match → hacer a algn el favor de ofrecerle una cerilla
anything to oblige! → ¡cualquier cosa!, ¡con mucho gusto!
to be obliged to sb for sth (= grateful) → estarle agradecido a algn por algo; (= under obligation) → deber un favor a algn por algo
much obliged! → ¡muchísimas gracias!, ¡muy agradecido!
I should be much obliged if → agradecería que + subjun
I am obliged to you for your help → le agradezco mucho su ayuda
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
oblige
[əˈblaɪdʒ] vt
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
oblige
vt
(= compel) → zwingen; (because of duty) → verpflichten (sb to do sth jdn, etw zu tun); (Jur) → vorschreiben (sb to do sth jdm, etw zu tun); to feel obliged to do something → sich verpflichtet fühlen, etw zu tun; I was obliged to go → ich sah mich gezwungen zu gehen; you are not obliged to do it → Sie sind nicht dazu verpflichtet; you are not obliged to answer this question → Sie brauchen diese Frage nicht zu beantworten
(= do a favour to) → einen Gefallen tun (+dat), → gefällig sein (+dat); could you oblige me with a light? → wären Sie so gut, mir Feuer zu geben?; please oblige me by opening a window → würden Sie mir bitte den Gefallen tun und ein Fenster öffnen?; he obliged us with a song → er gab uns ein Lied zum Besten; would you oblige me by not interrupting, I would be obliged if you wouldn’t interrupt → hätten Sie die Güte, mich nicht zu unterbrechen; anything to oblige a friend → was tut man nicht alles für einen Freund!
vi she is always ready to oblige → sie ist immer sehr gefällig or hilfsbereit; (hum) → sie ist niemals abgeneigt; they called for a song, but no-one obliged → sie verlangten nach einem Lied, aber niemand kam der Aufforderung nach; we asked him the way and he obliged with directions → wir fragten ihn nach dem Weg, und er gab bereitwillig Auskunft; anything to oblige → stets zu Diensten!; a prompt reply would oblige (Comm) → wir bitten um baldige Antwort
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
oblige
[əˈblaɪdʒ] vtCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
oblige
(əˈblaidʒ) verb1. to force to do something. She was obliged to go; The police obliged him to leave.
2. to do (someone) a favour or service. Could you oblige me by carrying this, please?
obligation (obliˈgeiʃən) noun a promise or duty. You are under no obligation to buy this.
obligatory (əˈbligətəri) , ((American) əbligəˈto:ri) adjective compulsory. Attendance at tonight's meeting is obligatory.
oˈbligatorily adverboˈbliging adjective
willing to help other people. He'll help you – he's very obliging.
oˈbligingly adverbKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.