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obligation

Translate obligation | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of obligation

noun

  • an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment: [with infinitive]:I have an obligation to look after her
  • [mass noun] the condition of being morally or legally bound to do something:they are under no obligation to stick to the scheme
  • a debt of gratitude for a service or favour:she didn’t want to be under an obligation to him
  • Law a binding agreement committing a person to a payment or other action.

Phrases

day of obligation

(in the Roman Catholic Church) a day on which all are required to attend Mass.

Derivatives

obligational

adjective

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'formal promise'): via Old French from Latin obligatio(n-), from the verb obligare (see oblige)

obligation in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of obligation in the US English dictionary
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