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oblige — to make someone legally or morally bound to do something

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to make someone legally or morally bound to do something

Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈblaɪdʒ/

Example Sentences

  • My mom obliges me to clean my room every Saturday, but she always obliges when I need her help too.
  • The waiter was happy to oblige when the customer asked for extra ketchup for the tenth time.
  • The company policy obliges all employees to wear uniforms, even the CEO.

oblige

VERB

[/əˈblaɪdʒ/]

to make someone legally or morally bound to do something

The knight felt obliged to help the elderly woman carry her heavy basket home.
💡 Concept

The knight felt obliged to help the elderly woman carry her heavy basket home.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/əˈblaɪdʒ/
🇬🇧 UK/əˈblaɪdʒ/

🌳Etymology

Prefixob--
Rootlig
Suffix--e

Origin

Derived from Latin 'obligare', the word originally meant 'to bind' or 'to tie up'. The sense evolved from the literal image of binding someone with rope to the metaphorical notion of imposing a duty or obligation upon them.

Breakdown

ob- (towards) + ligare (to bind) = to bind towards, hence to place under obligation or duty.

🎵Rhyme

prestige
liege

🔗Collocations

feel obliged to
legally obliged
oblige someone to do
much obliged
happy to oblige

📝Examples

“My mom obliges me to clean my room every Saturday, but she always obliges when I need her help too.”

😄 Fun example

“The waiter was happy to oblige when the customer asked for extra ketchup for the tenth time.”

“The company policy obliges all employees to wear uniforms, even the CEO.”

😄 Fun example

“When my friend asked me to sing karaoke, I felt obliged to oblige, even though I sound like a dying cat.”

📚Related Words

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