obligation

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the state of being obligated to do or pay something

   They are under an obligation to finish the job.

2. 2
   noun

   A social, legal, or moral requirement, duty, contract, or promise that compels someone to follow or avoid a particular course of action.

   I feel I'm under obligation to attend my sister's wedding, even though we have a very frosty relationship.

3. 3
   noun

   A legal agreement stipulating a specified action or forbearance by a party to the agreement; the document containing such agreement.

   The Pupil after his Pupillarity, had granted a Diſcharge to one of the Co-tutors, which did extinguiſh the whole Debt of that Co-tutor, and conſequently of all the reſt, they being all correi debendi, lyable by one individual Obligation, which cannot be Diſcharged as to one, and ſtand as to all the reſt.

4. 4
   noun

   Reason for being obliged to, that is, grateful for, something.

   I am indebted to several friends for notes, observations, and correspondence on this subject, more especially to one, referred to as "Z.," and to another as "Q.," who have obtained a considerable number of reliable histories for me, and have also supplied many valuable notes [...]. Other obligations are mentioned in the text.

5. 5
   noun

   the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

6. 6
   noun

   a legal agreement specifying a payment or action and the penalty for failure to comply

7. 7
   noun

   a written promise to repay a debt

8. 8
   noun

   a personal relation in which one is indebted for a service or favor

Etymology

From Middle English obligacioun, from Old French obligacion, from Latin obligatio, obligationem, from obligatum (past participle of obligare), from ob- (“to”) + ligare (“to bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind”).