All 50 Uses of
oblige
in
Sense and Sensibility
- ...they were obliged, though unwillingly, to turn back, for no shelter was nearer than their own house.
Chpt 9 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- Mrs. Dashwood then begged to know to whom she was obliged.
Chpt 9 (definition 2)obliged = grateful or indebted
- Elinor was obliged, though unwillingly, to believe that the sentiments which Mrs. Jennings had assigned him for her own satisfaction, were now actually excited by her sister; and that however a general resemblance of disposition between the parties might forward the affection of Mr. Willoughby, an equally striking opposition of character was no hindrance to the regard of Colonel Brandon.
Chpt 10 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- If dancing formed the amusement of the night, they were partners for half the time; and when obliged to separate for a couple of dances, were careful to stand together and scarcely spoke a word to any body else.
Chpt 11 (definition 1)
- "This," said he, "cannot hold; but a change, a total change of sentiments—No, no, do not desire it; for when the romantic refinements of a young mind are obliged to give way, how frequently are they succeeded by such opinions as are but too common, and too dangerous!"
Chpt 11 (definition 1)
- She was faithful to her word; and when Willoughby called at the cottage, the same day, Elinor heard her express her disappointment to him in a low voice, on being obliged to forego the acceptance of his present.
Chpt 12 (definition 1)
- "My own loss is great," he continued, "in being obliged to leave so agreeable a party; but I am the more concerned, as I fear my presence is necessary to gain your admittance at Whitwell."
Chpt 13 (definition 1)
- You are very obliging.
Chpt 13 (definition 3) *obliging = helpful
- But Mrs. Smith must be obliged;—and her business will not detain you from us long I hope.
Chpt 15 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- He is, moreover, aware that she DOES disapprove the connection, he dares not therefore at present confess to her his engagement with Marianne, and he feels himself obliged, from his dependent situation, to give into her schemes, and absent himself from Devonshire for a while.
Chpt 15 (definition 1)
- He had just parted from my sister, had seen her leave him in the greatest affliction; and if he felt obliged, from a fear of offending Mrs. Smith, to resist the temptation of returning here soon, and yet aware that by declining your invitation, by saying that he was going away for some time, he should seem to act an ungenerous, a suspicious part by our family, he might well be embarrassed and disturbed.
Chpt 15 (definition 1)
- She was sitting near the window, and as soon as Sir John perceived her, he left the rest of the party to the ceremony of knocking at the door, and stepping across the turf, obliged her to open the casement to speak to him, though the space was so short between the door and the window, as to make it hardly possible to speak at one without being heard at the other.
Chpt 19 (definition 1)
- Elinor was obliged to turn from her, in the middle of her story, to receive the rest of the party;
Chpt 19 (definition 1)
- Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Palmer joined their entreaties, all seemed equally anxious to avoid a family party; and the young ladies were obliged to yield.
Chpt 19 (definition 1)
- They were obliged to put an end to such an expectation.
Chpt 20 (definition 1)
- They thanked her; but were obliged to resist all her entreaties.
Chpt 20 (definition 1)
- Elinor was again obliged to decline her invitation; and by changing the subject, put a stop to her entreaties.
Chpt 20 (definition 1)
- The necessity of concealing from her mother and Marianne, what had been entrusted in confidence to herself, though it obliged her to unceasing exertion, was no aggravation of Elinor's distress.
Chpt 23 (definition 1)
- One or two meetings of this kind had taken place, without affording Elinor any chance of engaging Lucy in private, when Sir John called at the cottage one morning, to beg, in the name of charity, that they would all dine with Lady Middleton that day, as he was obliged to attend the club at Exeter, and she would otherwise be quite alone, except her mother and the two Miss Steeles.
Chpt 23 (definition 1)
- "Indeed I shall be very much obliged to you for your help," cried Lucy, "for I find there is more to be done to it than I thought there was; and it would be a shocking thing to disappoint dear Annamaria after all."
Chpt 23 (definition 2)obliged = grateful or indebted
- Elinor now began to make the tea, and Marianne was obliged to appear again.
Chpt 26 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- The former left them soon after tea to fulfill her evening engagements; and Elinor was obliged to assist in making a whist table for the others.
Chpt 26 (definition 1)
- Elinor was not prepared for such a question, and having no answer ready, was obliged to adopt the simple and common expedient, of asking what he meant?
Chpt 27 (definition 1)
- It was some minutes before she could go on with her letter, and the frequent bursts of grief which still obliged her, at intervals, to withhold her pen, were proofs enough of her feeling how more than probable it was that she was writing for the last time to Willoughby.
Chpt 29 (definition 1)
- Elinor, though never less disposed to speak than at that moment, obliged herself to answer such an attack as this, and, therefore, trying to smile, replied, "And have you really, Ma'am, talked yourself into a persuasion of my sister's being engaged to Mr. Willoughby?"
Chpt 29 (definition 1)
- It is with great regret that I obey your commands in returning the letters with which I have been honoured from you, and the lock of hair, which you so obligingly bestowed on me.†
Chpt 29 (definition 3)
- It would grieve me indeed to be obliged to think ill of you; but if I am to do it, if I am to learn that you are not what we have hitherto believed you, that your regard for us all was insincere, that your behaviour to me was intended only to deceive, let it be told as soon as possible.
Chpt 29 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- 'The lock of hair, (repeating it from the letter,) which you so obligingly bestowed on me'—That is unpardonable.†
Chpt 29 (definition 3)
- In one thing, however, she was uniform, when it came to the point, in avoiding, where it was possible, the presence of Mrs. Jennings, and in a determined silence when obliged to endure it.
Chpt 31 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- He imagined, and calmly could he imagine it, that her extravagance, and consequent distress, had obliged her to dispose of it for some immediate relief.
Chpt 31 (definition 1)
- Elinor wished that the same forbearance could have extended towards herself, but that was impossible, and she was obliged to listen day after day to the indignation of them all.
Chpt 32 (definition 1)
- His chief reward for the painful exertion of disclosing past sorrows and present humiliations, was given in the pitying eye with which Marianne sometimes observed him, and the gentleness of her voice whenever (though it did not often happen) she was obliged, or could oblige herself to speak to him.
Chpt 32 (definition 1)
- His chief reward for the painful exertion of disclosing past sorrows and present humiliations, was given in the pitying eye with which Marianne sometimes observed him, and the gentleness of her voice whenever (though it did not often happen) she was obliged, or could oblige herself to speak to him.†
Chpt 32 (definition 3)
- On ascending the stairs, the Miss Dashwoods found so many people before them in the room, that there was not a person at liberty to tend to their orders; and they were obliged to wait.
Chpt 33 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- "I wished very much to call upon you yesterday," said he, "but it was impossible, for we were obliged to take Harry to see the wild beasts at Exeter Exchange; and we spent the rest of the day with Mrs. Ferrars."
Chpt 33 (definition 1)
- Far be it from me to repine at his doing so; he had an undoubted right to dispose of his own property as he chose, but, in consequence of it, we have been obliged to make large purchases of linen, china, &c. to supply the place of what was taken away.
Chpt 33 (definition 1)
- In spite of the improvements and additions which were making to the Norland estate, and in spite of its owner having once been within some thousand pounds of being obliged to sell out at a loss, nothing gave any symptom of that indigence which he had tried to infer from it;— no poverty of any kind, except of conversation, appeared— but there, the deficiency was considerable.
Chpt 34 (definition 1)
- Elinor wished to talk of something else, but Lucy still pressed her to own that she had reason for her happiness; and Elinor was obliged to go on.
Chpt 35 (definition 1)
- Lucy, with a demure and settled air, seemed determined to make no contribution to the comfort of the others, and would not say a word; and almost every thing that WAS said, proceeded from Elinor, who was obliged to volunteer all the information about her mother's health, their coming to town, &c. which Edward ought to have inquired about, but never did.
Chpt 35 (definition 1)
- She then left the room; and Elinor dared not follow her to say more, for bound as she was by her promise of secrecy to Lucy, she could give no information that would convince Marianne; and painful as the consequences of her still continuing in an error might be, she was obliged to submit to it.
Chpt 35 (definition 1)
- But so little were they, anymore than the others, inclined to oblige her, that if Sir John dined from home, she might spend a whole day without hearing any other raillery on the subject, than what she was kind enough to bestow on herself.
Chpt 36 (definition 3)oblige = grant a favor
- The consequence of which was, that Mrs. John Dashwood was obliged to submit not only to the exceedingly great inconvenience of sending her carriage for the Miss Dashwoods, but, what was still worse, must be subject to all the unpleasantness of appearing to treat them with attention: and who could tell that they might not expect to go out with her a second time?
Chpt 36 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- My promise to Lucy, obliged me to be secret.
Chpt 37 (definition 1) *obliged = required (obligated her to do something)
- I shall always think myself very much obliged to you.
Chpt 39 (definition 2) *obliged = grateful or indebted
- He had met Mrs. Jennings at the door in her way to the carriage, as he came to leave his farewell card; and she, after apologising for not returning herself, had obliged him to enter, by saying that Miss Dashwood was above, and wanted to speak with him on very particular business.
Chpt 40 (definition 1)obliged = required (to do something)
- Truth obliged her to acknowledge some small share in the action, but she was at the same time so unwilling to appear as the benefactress of Edward, that she acknowledged it with hesitation; which probably contributed to fix that suspicion in his mind which had recently entered it.
Chpt 40 (definition 1)
- Elinor contradicted it, however, very positively; and by relating that she had herself been employed in conveying the offer from Colonel Brandon to Edward, and, therefore, must understand the terms on which it was given, obliged him to submit to her authority.
Chpt 41 (definition 1)
- When I first became intimate in your family, I had no other intention, no other view in the acquaintance than to pass my time pleasantly while I was obliged to remain in Devonshire, more pleasantly than I had ever done before.
Chpt 44 (definition 1)
- I was obliged to leave Devonshire
Chpt 44 (definition 1)
- Mrs. Dashwood's and Elinor's appetites were equally lost, and Margaret might think herself very well off, that with so much uneasiness as both her sisters had lately experienced, so much reason as they had often had to be careless of their meals, she had never been obliged to go without her dinner before.
Chpt 47 (definition 1)
Definitions:
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(1) (oblige as in: I am obliged by law.) require (obligate) to do something
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(2) (obliged as in: I'm much obliged for your kindness) grateful or indebted
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(3) (oblige as in: I obliged her every request.) grant a favor to someone