All 12 Uses
oblige
in
Washington Square, by Henry James
(Edited)
- After this, the tide of fashion began to set steadily northward, as, indeed, in New York, thanks to the narrow channel in which it flows, it is obliged to do, and the great hum of traffic rolled farther to the right and left of Broadway.
Chpt 3obliged = required (to do something)
- But it will be a good reason for coming another time; a little pretext—if I am obliged to give one.
Chpt 5
- She was very glad that she was not obliged to tell him that the ceremony of their betrothal had taken place out there under the bare ailantus-trees.
Chpt 11
- And we have been so much obliged to you for—for the liberty.
Chpt 11obliged = grateful or indebted
- I am not obliged to say it; and to say it, save under stress of compulsion, would be very bad taste.
Chpt 12obliged = required (to do something)
- Morris smoothed his hat—it was already remarkably glossy—and continued to display a self-control which, as the Doctor was obliged to admit, was extremely creditable to him.
Chpt 12
- You needn't feel obliged to be so quiet.
Chpt 15
- "The woman's an idiot," thought Morris; but he was obliged to say something different.
Chpt 16 *
- I am greatly obliged to you, but I have nothing to send.
Chpt 16obliged = grateful or indebted
- I am really very much obliged to her.
Chpt 21 *
- I am much obliged for that!
Chpt 26
- He was obliged to recognise the fact that if the two young people were waiting for him to get out of the way, they were at least waiting very patiently.
Chpt 32obliged = required (to do something)
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
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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) 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.