Link Centre Dictionary

obligation

ob·li·ga·tion

UK/ˌɒb.lɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/ US/ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/ fairly common

noun

1.

the social force that binds you to your obligations and the courses of action demanded by that force

  • “we must instill a sense of duty in our children”
  • “every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty” Jo
Synonyms
2.

the state of being obligated to do or pay something

  • “he is under an obligation to finish the job”
3.

a personal relation in which one is indebted for a service or favor

4.

a legal agreement specifying a payment or action and the penalty for failure to comply

Origin

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”).

Phrases

  • collateralized debt obligation
  • collateralized fund obligation
  • collateralized loan obligation
  • debt obligation
  • holy day of obligation
  • moral obligation
  • Sunday obligation

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.