All 27 Uses of
oblige
in
Great Expectations
- But he punished the Amens tremendously; and when he gave out the psalm,—always giving the whole verse,—he looked all round the congregation first, as much as to say, "You have heard my friend overhead; oblige me with your opinion of this style!"
p. 24.2oblige = grant a favor
- In pursuance of this luminous conception I mentioned to Biddy when I went to Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt's at night, that I had a particular reason for wishing to get on in life, and that I should feel very much obliged to her if she would impart all her learning to me.
p. 76.2obliged = grateful or indebted
- Biddy, who was the most obliging of girls, immediately said she would, and indeed began to carry out her promise within five minutes.
p. 76.3 *obliging = helpful
- "You know I was obliged," said Camilla,—"I was obliged to be firm."
p. 85.4obliged = required (to do something)
- "You know I was obliged," said Camilla,—"I was obliged to be firm."
p. 85.4
- I was obliged to answer in some confusion, "I don't think I am, ma'am."
p. 87.7
- Raymond is a witness what ginger and sal volatile I am obliged to take in the night.
p. 90.3
- Sarah Pocket and Georgiana contended who should remain last; but Sarah was too knowing to be outdone, and ambled round Georgiana with that artful slipperiness that the latter was obliged to take precedence.
p. 92.7
- I only wanted you to know that I am doing very well in my apprenticeship, and am always much obliged to you.
p. 123.1 *obliged = grateful or indebted
- I was obliged to admit that I did know it for a certainty,
p. 138.5 *obliged = required (to do something)
- I said, or tried to say, that I was much obliged to him for his recommendation—
p. 148.5obliged = grateful or indebted
- Not recollecting myself, I began again that I was much obliged to him for his recommendation—
p. 148.6
- Correcting myself, I said that I was much obliged to him for his mention of Mr. Matthew Pocket—
p. 148.8
- I drew Joe away, and he immediately became placable; merely stating to me, in an obliging manner and as a polite expostulatory notice to any one whom it might happen to concern, that he were not a going to be bull-baited and badgered in his own place.
p. 150.4obliging = helpful or willing to be helpful
- Good morning, sir, much obliged.
p. 161.1obliged = grateful or indebted
- He was so obliging as to suggest my father for your tutor, and he called on my father to propose it.
p. 185.9obliging = helpful or willing to be helpful
- This unexpected inquiry put me into such a difficulty that I began saying in the absurdest way that if there had been any such person I had no doubt she would have been quite well and would have been very much obliged and would have sent her compliments, when the nurse came to my rescue.
p. 195.6obliged = required (to do something)
- If it's not in any way disagreeable to you, you'll oblige me by doing the same.
p. 219.2oblige = grant a favor
- No more, dear Mr. Pip, from your ever obliged, and affectionate servant, "BIDDY."
p. 229.4obliged = grateful or indebted
- While I felt sincerely obliged to him for being so interested and considerate, I had an odd half-provoked sense of suspicion upon me, that if Joe had been coming to see him, he wouldn't have been quite so brisk about it.
p. 230.7
- An obliging stranger, under pretence of compactly folding up my bank-notes for security's sake, abstracts the notes and gives me nutshells; but what is his sleight of hand to mine, when I fold up my own nutshells and pass them on myself as notes!
p. 238.6obliging = helpful or willing to be helpful
- How long we might have remained in this ridiculous position it is impossible to say, but for the incursion of three thriving farmers—laid on by the waiter, I think—who came into the coffee-room unbuttoning their great-coats and rubbing their hands, and before whom, as they charged at the fire, we were obliged to give way.
p. 379.1obliged = required (to do something)
- I was so very nervous, that I had already lighted the Aged's sausage like a torch, and been obliged to blow it out.
p. 391.2
- The truth was, that she had objected to me as an expensive companion who did Herbert no good, and that, when Herbert had first proposed to present me to her, she had received the proposal with such very moderate warmth, that Herbert had felt himself obliged to confide the state of the case to me, with a view to the lapse of a little time before I made her acquaintance.
p. 393.8
- Put the case that a woman, under such circumstances as you have mentioned, held her child concealed, and was obliged to communicate the fact to her legal adviser, on his representing to her that he must know, with an eye to the latitude of his defence, how the fact stood about that child.
p. 439.2
- If we had been waited on by any boat, I should have run in to shore, and have obliged her to go on, or to make her purpose evident.
p. 464.9
- But if you could oblige me, I should take it as a kindness.
p. 481.8oblige = grant a favor
Definitions:
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(1)
(oblige as in: I am obliged by law.) require (obligate) to do something
-
(2)
(oblige as in: I obliged her every request.) grant a favor to someone
-
(3)
(obliged as in: I'm much obliged for your kindness) grateful or indebted
-
(4)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely, in classic literature you may see oblige as a synonym for ask as when Jules Verne wrote "I obliged the Professor to move his lamp over the walls of the gallery," in Journey to the Center of the Earth.