obliger

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɔ.bli.ʒe/^[1]

Forms

obliger^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin obligō (“to tie to; to bind, pledge (by contract, vow or favour)”), formed from ob- (“towards; in return for”) and ligō (“to tie, bind”) (see lier).^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Compare Old Occitan obligar, Spanish obligar, Portuguese obrigar and Italian obbligare.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

A Poitevin charter of 1243 has en avom obligé nos e totes les noz chouses, to pledge oneself and one's goods as security, a legal sense.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Brunetto Latini (about 1265) uses it for binding morally, and s'obliger “to commit oneself” is found about 1300.^[2][3] The common sense “to compel, force” dates from about 1485, with à and, from Palsgrave (1530), de: je suis obligé de le faire.^[2][3] To create a debt of gratitude is in Oresme (1370–72), and in the 16th and 17th centuries obliger was above all to do someone a favour, obligeant “helpful” is recorded by Monet (1636).^[2][3] In music obligé translates Italian obbligato (1703).^[2] The phrase noblesse oblige rests on the sense of moral duty.^[1]

Timeline

• 1243 – To pledge, Poitevin charters.^[2]
• c. 1265 – To bind morally, Brunetto Latini.^[2]
• 1370–72 – Bound by gratitude, Oresme.^[2]
• 1456 – Obligeance.^[5]
• c. 1485 – “To compel”.^[2]
• 1530 – Être obligé de, Palsgrave.^[2]
• 1636 – Obligeant, helpful.^[2]
• 1703 – Obligé in music.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To oblige, compel, force: obliger quelqu'un à partir, être obligé de, to have to.^[1][8]
2. To bind by law or contract: le contrat oblige les deux parties, s'obliger à, to undertake to.^[8][9]
3. To bind morally: l'honneur m'y oblige, noblesse oblige.^[8][1]
4. (formal) To do a favour, oblige: vous m'obligeriez en…, être l'obligé de quelqu'un.^[3][9]

Word family

• obligé
• obligeant
• obligeance
• obligeamment
• désobliger
• désobligeant

Related words

• obligation
• obligatoire
• obligatoirement
• lier
• Latin obligō
• English oblige

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 7, 268a
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse