oblige

oblige
[[t]əbla͟ɪʤ[/t]]
obliges, obliging, obliged
1) VERB If you are obliged to do something, a situation, rule, or law makes it necessary for you to do that thing.

[be V-ed to-inf] The storm got worse and worse. Finally, I was obliged to abandon the car and continue on foot...

[V n to-inf] This decree obliges unions to delay strikes.

Syn:
2) VERB To oblige someone means to be helpful to them by doing what they have asked you to do.

If you ever need help with the babysitting, I'd be glad to oblige...

[V with n] We called up three economists to ask how to eliminate the deficit and they obliged with very straightforward answers...

[V n with n] Mr Oakley always has been ready to oblige journalists with information. [Also V n]

3) CONVENTION (formulae) People sometimes use obliged in expressions such as `much obliged' or `I am obliged to you' when they want to indicate that they are very grateful for something. [FORMAL or OLD-FASHIONED]

Much obliged for your assistance...

Thank you very much indeed, Doctor, I am extremely obliged to you.

Syn:
thank you
4) CONVENTION (politeness) If you tell someone that you would be obliged or should be obliged if they would do something, you are telling them in a polite but firm way that you want them to do it. [FORMAL]

I would be obliged if you could read it to us.


English dictionary. 2008.

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Synonyms:

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  • obligé — obligé, ée [ ɔbliʒe ] adj. • XIIIe; de obliger A ♦ (Personnes) 1 ♦ Tenu, lié par une obligation, assujetti par une nécessité. Dr. Une personne obligée envers un créancier. N. Le principal obligé : le débiteur principal (opposé à caution). Être,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • obligé — obligé, ée (o bli jé, jée) part. passé d obliger. 1°   Lié par quelque chose dont on ne peut se dégager. •   Elle sera obligée à son voeu ; et elle accomplira effectivement tout ce qu elle aura promis et juré, SACI Bible, Nombr. XXX, 45. •   Je… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • oblige — o‧blige [əˈblaɪdʒ] verb 1. [transitive] to make it necessary for someone to do something: oblige be obliged to do something • As a result of falling profits, we were obliged to close the factory. 2. [intransitive, transitive] to do something that …   Financial and business terms

  • oblige — 1 constrain, coerce, compel, *force Analogous words: *tie, bind 2 Oblige, accommodate, favor mean to do a service or courtesy. To oblige a person is to make him indebted by doing something that is pleasing to him {Punch was always anxious to… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • oblige — index accommodate, aid, assist, bear (support), bestow, bind (obligate), call ( …   Law dictionary

  • oblige — [v1] require bind, coerce, command, compel, constrain, force, impel, make, necessitate, obligate, shotgun*; concepts 14,242,646 Ant. let off oblige [v2] do a favor or kindness accommodate, aid, assist, avail, bend over backward*, benefit, come… …   New thesaurus

  • oblige — [ə blīj′, ōblīj′] vt. obliged, obliging [ME obligen < OFr obligier < L obligare, to bind, oblige < ob (see OB ) + ligare, to bind: see LIGATURE] 1. to compel by moral, legal, or physical force; constrain 2. to make indebted for a favor… …   English World dictionary

  • Oblige — O*blige ([ o]*bl[imac]j ; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Obliged} ([ o]*bl[imac]jd ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Obliging} ([ o]*bl[imac] j[i^]ng).] [OF. obligier, F. obliger, L. obligare; ob (see {Ob }) + ligare to bind. See {Ligament}, and cf. {Obligate}.] 1 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • oblige — (v.) c.1300, to bind by oath, from O.Fr. obligier (13c.), from L. obligare to bind, put under obligation, from ob to (see OB (Cf. ob )) + ligare to bind, from PIE root *leig to bind (see LIGAMENT (Cf. li …   Etymology dictionary

  • oblige — ► VERB 1) compel legally or morally. 2) perform a service or favour for. 3) (be obliged) be indebted or grateful. ORIGIN Latin obligare, from ligare to bind …   English terms dictionary

  • oblige — o|blige S3 [əˈblaıdʒ] v formal [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: obliger, from Latin obligare, from ligare to tie ] 1.) [T usually passive] if you are obliged to do something, you have to do it because the situation, the law, a duty etc… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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