obligation
(ɒblɪˈgeɪʃən)
[a. OF. obligation, -acion (1235 in Godef. Compl.), ad. L. obligātiōn-em an engaging or pledging, a binding agreement or bond; rarely lit., a binding; fig., an entangling, ensnaring; n. of action f. obligāre to oblige.]
1. The action of binding oneself by oath, promise, or contract to do or forbear something; an agreement whereby one person is bound to another, or two or more persons are mutually bound; also, that to which one binds oneself, a formal promise.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8042 Þe king..bed him..to him to gloucestre wende And made him obligacion & ostage him gan sende Þat he ssolde to him come al sauf. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 134 He with scrite & oth mad obligacion, Þat for leue no loth..Suld werre on him begynne. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 23758 Iustly, this condicioun is worth an obligacioun. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 8 b, Of the obligacyon made bytwene god and us. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 30 As well to discharge themselves, from their obligation as to give satisfaction unto the people. 1879 G. Barnett Smith W. E. Gladstone (ed. 2) I. vi. 169 A valid obligation could not be made with the Court of Rome without communication with the Pope himself. |
2. Law. An agreement, enforceable by law, whereby a person or persons become bound to the payment of a sum of money or other performance; the document containing such an agreement; esp. in Eng. Law, a written contract or bond under seal containing a penalty with a condition annexed. Also, the right created or liability incurred by such an agreement, document, or bond.
| 1382 Wyclif Luke xvi. 6 And he seide to him, Taak thin obligacioun, and sitte doon, and wryt fyfti. 1431 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 276, ij. sufficient plegges, bowndyn w{supt} hem in a symple [v.r. syngyll] obligacion, for to make a trewe delyueraunce of swiche goodys as thei receyue. 1538 Fitzherb. Just. Peas 91 b, Till he be bounde by obligacion to the kynges use, in such some as..shal be thought resonable. 1615 Bedwell Arab. Trudg. Talby, A peece of parchment, not any whit bigger then an ordinary..obligation. 1786 Burke Sp. agst. W. Hastings Wks. XII. 260 He had made a temporary seizure of the profits..for the re-payment of which he gave his bonds and obligations. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. Ind. II. v. viii. 668 Security..for the discharge of the obligations which the Company held upon the government of Oude. 1883 Wharton's Law Lex. (ed. 7) 105/1 A bond is called single when it is without a penalty, and an obligation when it contains a penalty, which is generally double the amount of the principal sum secured. |
3. Moral or legal constraint, or constraining force or influence; the condition of being morally or legally obliged or bound; a moral or legal tie binding to some performance; the binding power of a law, moral precept, duty, contract, etc.
of obligation, obligatory. day or holiday of obligation, a day on which every one is obliged to abstain from work and to attend divine service.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. ii. 91 Bound In filiall Obligation, for some terme To do obsequious Sorrow. 1638 Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. II.) 47 There is no obligation to follow them in their opinions. 1689 Popple tr. Locke's 1st Let. Toleration, L.'s Wks. 1727 II. 247 ‘Hear O Israel’, sufficiently restrains the Obligation of the Law of Moses only to that People. 1701 Grew Cosm. Sacra iv. ii. §54 And Numa appointed an Oath unto the Romans, say Plutarch and Livy, as the chiefest Obligation unto Faith and Truth. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. i. §13 They took great pains to strengthen the obligations to virtue. 1780 Burke Sp. Bristol bef. Elect. Wks. III. 371 What obligation lay on me to be popular? 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 172 He had a strong sense of moral and religious obligation. 1885 Littledale in Encycl. Brit. XIX. 93/1 The Mohammedan pilgrimages..consist..of two main classes, which may be distinguished conveniently by Latin theological terms, as those of ‘obligation’ and those of ‘devotion’. There is properly only one Moslem pilgrimage of obligation, that to Mecca. 1885 Cath. Dict. (ed. 3) 564/2 All bishops and priests with cure of souls are bound to say Mass for their people on Sundays and holidays of obligation. |
b. Without moral or legal reference: The fact of being logically or customarily obligatory.
| 1664 J. Webb Stone-Heng (1725) 67 So many other Obligations induce us to grant the being of Porticoes there. 1896 A. J. Hipkins Pianoforte 44 Setting the military bands aside as forming a province ruled by its own law, the French pitch yet remains as appertaining to preference and not obligation. |
4. Action, or an act, to which one is morally or legally obliged; that which one is bound to do; one's bounden duty, or a particular duty. Sometimes with the further notion of coercion: An enforced or burdensome task or charge.
| 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. iv. 144, I cannot thinke my Sister in the least Would faile her Obligation. a 1704 T. Brown Praise Drunkenness Wks. 1730 I. 36 The first linger away their lives in perpetual drudgery, in slavery and obligations. 1728 Morgan Algiers II. iv. 270 Thus died this valorous cavalier, for his Faith and for his Prince, as is the obligation of every gentleman of Honour and Character. 1857 Toulmin Smith Parish 64 If he have not fulfilled his obligations in one respect, he cannot rightly claim his prerogatives in the other. 1875 Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. ix. (ed. 5) 148 He released the Polish dukes from the obligation of tribute. |
5. a. The fact or condition of being indebted to a person for a benefit or service received; a debt of gratitude.
| 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 47 She..might not see him, to acknowledge the obligation she owed him. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 87 ¶9 They return benefits,..because obligation is a pain. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest x, You have no right to put her under an obligation. 1881 Shorthouse J. Inglesant (1882) I. xvii. 305 Inglesant returned a courteous message expressive of his obligation for her extraordinary generosity. |
b. A benefit or service for which gratitude is due, a kindness done or received.
| 1618 Earl of Suffolk in Fortesc. Papers (Camden) 51 Which I wyll ever acknowledg to you for a great oblygation. 1775 Sheridan Rivals v. iii, Captain, give me your hand; an affront handsomely acknowledged becomes an obligation. 1821 Lamb Elia Ser. i. Valentine's Day, When a kindly face greets us, though but passing by,..we should feel it as an obligation. |
† c. Obligingness, civility. Obs. rare.
| 1664 Pepys Diary 4 June, To make him civill, and to command in words of great obligation to his officers and men. |
† 6. Legal liability. Cf. oblige v. 5. Obs.
| 1676 Hale Contempl. i. 93 As an imputed sin drew with it the obligation unto punishment. 1758 S. Hayward Serm. i. 5 Guilt is an obligation to punishment on account of Sin. |
† 7. A binding, fastening, or connecting; a connexion, link. Obs. rare.
| 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 240 Yet is there one link and common connexion, one generall ligament, and necessary obligation of all whatever unto God. |
† 8. A bond by which one is held captive. rare.
| 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Acts viii. 23, I see thou art in the gall of bitternes and the obligation [Vulg. obligatione] of iniquitie. |
9. Comb., as obligation-maker.
| 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. Contents (i. v. 895) These artificial Justice-makers and Obligation-makers. |