obligation
Translation
obligation, duty, responsibility, commitment
Examples
You have a legal obligation to pay taxes.
You have a legal obligation to pay taxes.
I helped him out of a sense of obligation.
I helped him out of a sense of obligation.
Grammar Patterns
((an obligation to do sth.)) a duty to do sth. You have an obligation to help.
((to be under an obligation)) to be required to do sth. I am under no obligation to answer.
Similar Words
Synonyms: duty, responsibility, commitment, requirement
Etymology
From Latin 'obligare', meaning 'to bind' (ob- 'to' + ligare 'to bind'). An obligation is something that binds you to a course of action.
Memory Tips
Think of a 'ligament', which binds bones together. An 'ob-liga-tion' binds you to do something.