obligation
The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.
Noun 4 meanings
The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.
A social, legal, or moral requirement, duty, contract, or promise that compels someone to follow or avoid a particular course of action.
“I feel I'm under obligation to attend my sister's wedding, even though we have a very frosty relationship.”
A course of action imposed by society, law, or conscience by which someone is bound or restricted.
A legal agreement stipulating a specified action or forbearance by a party to the agreement; the document containing such agreement.
Etymology
From Middle English obligacioun, from Old French obligacion, from Latin obligatio, obligationem, from obligatum (past participle of obligare), from ob- (“to”) + ligare (“to bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind”).
Similar and opposite words
OBLIGATION at a glance
OBLIGATION has 10 letters and scores 13 points in Scrabble (O 1 + B 3 + L 1 + I 1 + G 2 + A 1 + T 1 + I 1 + O 1 + N 1) and 17 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #6,289 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with obligation
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