oblige

See also obligé

English

Etymology

Old French obliger < Latin obligo, from ob- + ligo.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈblaɪdʒ/
• Rhymes: -aɪdʒ

Verb

oblige (third-person singular simple present obliges, present participle obliging, simple past and past participle obliged)

1. (transitive) To constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means.

   I am obliged to report to the police station every week.

   • 1749, John Cleland, Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure Part 3

     Tho' he was some time awake before me, yet did he not offer to disturb a repose he had given me so much occasion for; but on my first stirring, which was not till past ten o'clock, I was oblig'd to endure one more trial of his manhood.

2. (transitive) To do someone a service or favour (hence, originally, creating an obligation).

   He obliged me by not parking his car in the drive.

   • 1719, John Harris, Astronomical dialogues between a gentleman and a lady, page 151:

     In the mean time I have another trouble to give you, if you will oblige me in it; and that is to get me a sight of the famous Orrery, which I have heard you and others so often speak of; and which I think was made by Mr. Rowley, the famous Mathematical Instrument-Maker.

3. (intransitive) To be indebted to someone.

   I am obliged to you for your recent help.

4. (intransitive) To do a service or favour.

   The singer obliged with another song.

Derived terms

• disoblige

Related terms

• much obliged
• noblesse oblige
• obligate
• obligation
• obligatory
• obligee
• obligor

Translations

to constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means

• Catalan: obligar (ca)
• Dutch: verplichten (nl)
• French: imposer (fr), obliger (fr)
• German: verpflichten (de)

• Hungarian: kötelez (hu)
• Japanese: 義務付ける (ja) (ぎむづける, gimuzukeru)
• Russian: обязывать (ru) (objázyvatʹ) impf., обязать (ru) (objazátʹ) pf.

to do someone a service or favour (hence, originally, creating an obligation)

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 幫忙 (cmn), 帮忙 (cmn) (bāngmáng)

• Dutch: een plezier doen (nl)
• French: rendre service à (fr)
• German: einen Gefallen tun (de)

• Japanese: 世話をする (ja) (せわをする, sewa o suru), サービスする (ja) (sābisu suru)
• Russian: делать одолжение (délatʹ odolžénije) impf., сделать одолжение (sdélatʹ odolžénije) pf.

to be indebted to someone

• Hungarian: lekötelez (hu)
• Japanese: 恩義がある (ja) (おんぎがある, ongi ga aru), 世話になる (ja) (せわになる, sewa ni naru)

• Russian: быть обязанным (bytʹ objázannym)

Anagrams

• big ole

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɔbliʒ/

Verb

oblige

1. first-person singular present indicative of obliger
2. third-person singular present indicative of obliger
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of obliger
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of obliger
5. second-person singular imperative of obliger