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oblige

To oblige is to do something you have to, because you're bound by either good manners or the law.

You are obliged to pay back your student loans, or for your portion of the dinner bill. You may also feel obliged to bring a gift if you're invited to a wedding. You can also tip your cowboy hat and be "much obliged" if someone does you a favor. The French phrase, noblesse oblige means basically that "privilege entails responsibility," or that the wealthy are obliged to do something productive in the world and not just sit around polishing their silver spoons.

DEFINITIONS OF: oblige

v force somebody to do something

Synonyms:: compel, obligate

Types:: show 21 types...; hide 21 types...; force, thrust
impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably; walk
make walk; 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"; clamor
compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring; condemn
compel or force into a particular state or activity; shame
compel through a sense of shame; apply, enforce, implement
ensure observance of laws and rules; enforce, impose
compel to behave in a certain way; stick, sting
saddle with something disagreeable or disadvantageous; exhibit, march, parade
walk ostentatiously; march
cause to march or go at a marching pace; turn up the heat, turn up the pressure
apply great or increased pressure; drive
to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly; bludgeon
overcome or coerce as if by using a heavy club; steamroll, steamroller
bring to a specified state by overwhelming force or pressure; squeeze for
squeeze someone for money, information, etc.; dragoon, railroad, sandbag
compel by coercion, threats, or crude means; terrorise, terrorize
coerce by violence or with threats; bring oneself
cause to undertake a certain action, usually used in the negative; execute, run
carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a machine; execute
carry out the legalities of

Type of:: cause, get, have, induce, make, stimulate
cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner

v bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted

Synonyms:: bind, hold, obligate

Types:: show 4 types...; hide 4 types...; pledge
bind or secure by a pledge; article
bind by a contract; especially for a training period; indent, indenture
bind by or as if by indentures, as of an apprentice or servant; tie down
restrain from independence by an obligation

Type of:: relate
have or establish a relationship to

v provide a service or favor for someone

“We had to oblige him”

Synonyms:: accommodate

Antonyms:: disoblige
ignore someone's wishes

Type of:: abide by, comply, follow
act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes

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