Both Uses of
oblige
in
Pygmalion
- I brought it to her just to oblige you like, and make myself agreeable.†
Act 2oblige = grant a favor
- Not in a general way I wouldn't; but to oblige a gentleman like you I'd do a good deal, I do assure you.†
Act 2 *
Definitions:
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(1)
(oblige as in: I am obliged by law.) require (obligate) to do something
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(2)
(oblige as in: I obliged her every request.) grant a favor to someone
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(3)
(obliged as in: I'm much obliged for your kindness) grateful or indebted
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(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.