obligation
UK /ˌɒb.lɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/ · US /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/ noun
Forms obligations
- noun The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.
- noun 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.”
- noun A course of action imposed by society, law, or conscience by which someone is bound or restricted.
- noun (law) A legal agreement stipulating a specified action or forbearance by a party to the agreement; the document containing such agreement.
- noun (countable) Reason for being obliged to, that is, grateful for, something.
Synonyms
commitment duty responsibility indebtedness debt instrument certificate of indebtedness
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”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun The act of obligating.
- noun That which obligates or constrains; the binding power of a promise, contract, oath, or vow, or of law; that which constitutes legal or moral duty.
Etymology [F. obligation. L. obligatio. See Oblige.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “obligation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details