Dictionary Definition
oblige
Verb
1 force or compel somebody to do something; "We
compel all students to fill out this form" [syn: compel, obligate]
2 bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted;
"He's held by a contract"; "I'll hold you by your promise" [syn:
bind, hold, obligate]
3 provide a service or favor for someone; "We had
to oblige him" [syn: accommodate] [ant: disoblige]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
- /əˈblaɪʤ/
- Rhymes: -aɪdʒ
Verb
- To constrain
someone by force or by
social, moral or legal means
- I am obliged to report to the police station every week.
- To do someone a service or favour (hence, originally,
creating an obligation)
- He obliged me by not parking his car in the drive.
- To be indebted to
someone
- I am obliged to you for your recent help.
- To do a service or favour
- The singer obliged with another song.
Derived terms
French
Pronunciation
/ɔbliʒ/Verb
oblige- first- and third-person singular present of obliger
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
accommodate, aid, assist, avail, benefit, bind, brook no denial, call for,
cater to, coddle,
coerce, commit, compel, concuss, constrain, contribute, convenience, cosset, demand, dictate, do a favor, do a
service, do right by, exact, favor, force, give way to, gratify, help, humor, impose, indulge, insist upon, leave no
option, make, make
imperative, make incumbent, mollycoddle, necessitate, obligate, pamper, please, pledge, profit, require, saddle with, satisfy, serve, shotgun, show kindness to,
spoil, take no denial,
tie, treat well, yield
to