All 25 Uses of

oblige
in
Jane Eyre

The remedy was, to thrust them forward into the centre of the schoolroom, and oblige them to stand there till the sermon was finished.†
p. 73.0 *

oblige = grant a favor

It was a landscape in water colours, of which I had made a present to the superintendent, in acknowledgment of her obliging mediation with the committee on my behalf, and which she had framed and glazed.†
p. 109.3

obliging = helpful or willing to be helpful

Many showed themselves obliging, and amiable too; and I discovered amongst them not a few examples of natural politeness, and innate self-respect, as well as of excellent capacity, that won both my goodwill and my admiration.†
p. 422.4

As she grew up, a sound English education corrected in a great measure her French defects; and when she left school, I found in her a pleasing and obliging companion: docile, good-tempered, and well-principled.†
p. 519.2

Bessie would rather have stayed, but she was obliged to go, because punctuality at meals was rigidly enforced at Gateshead Hall.†
p. 28.7

The next day commenced as before, getting up and dressing by rushlight; but this morning we were obliged to dispense with the ceremony of washing; the water in the pitchers was frozen.†
p. 63.1

I generally contrived to reserve a moiety of this bounteous repast for myself; but the remainder I was invariably obliged to part with.†
p. 72.8

This I learned from her benefactress; from the pious and charitable lady who adopted her in her orphan state, reared her as her own daughter, and whose kindness, whose generosity the unhappy girl repaid by an ingratitude so bad, so dreadful, that at last her excellent patroness was obliged to separate her from her own young ones, fearful lest her vicious example should contaminate their purity: she has sent her here to be healed, even as the Jews of old sent their diseased to the troubled pool of Bethesda; and, teachers, superintendent, I beg of you not to allow the waters to stagnate round her.†
p. 79.5

"There are no more," said she; and I put it in my pocket and turned my face homeward: I could not open it then; rules obliged me to be back by eight, and it was already half-past seven.†
p. 104.8

Bessie and I conversed about old times an hour longer, and then she was obliged to leave me: I saw her again for a few minutes the next morning at Lowton, while I was waiting for the coach.†
p. 110.5

I rose; I dressed myself with care: obliged to be plain — for I had no article of attire that was not made with extreme simplicity — I was still by nature solicitous to be neat.†
p. 117.1

I should be obliged to take time, sir, before I could give you an answer worthy of your acceptance: a present has many faces to it, has it not?†
p. 142.8

Sir, you have now given me my 'cadeau;' I am obliged to you: it is the meed teachers most covet — praise of their pupils' progress.†
p. 143.3

there is something singular about you," said he: "you have the air of a little nonnette; quaint, quiet, grave, and simple, as you sit with your hands before you, and your eyes generally bent on the carpet (except, by-the-bye, when they are directed piercingly to my face; as just now, for instance); and when one asks you a question, or makes a remark to which you are obliged to reply, you rap out a round rejoinder, which, if not blunt, is at least brusque.†
p. 154.4

As she said this, she approached her tall person and ample garments so near the window, that I was obliged to bend back almost to the breaking of my spine: in her eagerness she did not observe me at first, but when she did, she curled her lip and moved to another casement.†
p. 220.2

"If," said I, "you would just step upstairs and tell her I am come, I should be much obliged to you."†
p. 264.7 *

"And," she added, "I am obliged to you for your valuable services and discreet conduct!†
p. 279.1

In listening, I sobbed convulsively; for I could repress what I endured no longer; I was obliged to yield, and I was shaken from head to foot with acute distress.†
p. 291.8

Mr. Rochester obliged me to go to a certain silk warehouse: there I was ordered to choose half-a-dozen dresses.†
p. 309.2

I was obliged to recall him to a theme which was of necessity one of close and anxious interest to me.†
p. 406.6

I entered — not now obliged to part with my whole fortune as the price of its accommodation.†
p. 487.3

Definitions:

(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.