Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
oblate (1)
oblate (2)
oblation
oblietjie
obligate
obligation
obligato
obligatory
oblige
obligee
obligement
obliging
obligor
oblique
oblique projection
oblique-slip fault
obliquely
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "oblige" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

oblige

o·blige [ ə blj ] (past and past participle o·bliged, present participle o·blig·ing, 3rd person present singular o·blig·es)


verb 
Definition:
 
1. transitive verb require somebody to do something: to bind somebody morally or legally to do something

2. transitive verb force somebody to do something: to make it necessary for somebody to do something

3. transitive verb cause somebody to feel indebted: to cause somebody to feel indebted by doing something for that person

4. transitive verb do favor for somebody: to do a favor or service for somebody
Would you oblige me by closing the door?

5. intransitive verb be helpful: to do something necessary or helpful
was only too happy to oblige

[13th century. Via Old French oblig(i)er< Latin obligare "tie to" < ligare "to tie"]

o·blig·er noun
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
MSN Shopping
Upgrade your Encarta experience
Encarta RSS Feeds
© 2008 Microsoft