Library / English Dictionary

OBLIGATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Restricted to a particular condition of life

Example:

an obligate anaerobe can survive only in the absence of oxygen

Classified under:

Adjectives

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Antonym:

facultative (able to exist under more than one set of conditions)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted

Example:

I'll hold you by your promise

Synonyms:

bind; hold; obligate; oblige

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "obligate" is one way to...):

relate (have or establish a relationship to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "obligate"):

pledge (bind or secure by a pledge)

article (bind by a contract; especially for a training period)

indent; indenture (bind by or as if by indentures, as of an apprentice or servant)

tie down (restrain from independence by an obligation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

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

obligation (the state of being obligated to do or pay something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Commit in order to fulfill an obligation

Example:

obligate money

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "obligate" is one way to...):

commit; confide; entrust; intrust; trust (confer a trust upon)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

obligation (the state of being obligated to do or pay something)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Force somebody to do something

Example:

We compel all students to fill out this form

Synonyms:

compel; obligate; oblige

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "obligate" is one way to...):

cause; get; have; induce; make; stimulate (cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner)

Cause:

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "obligate"):

force; thrust (impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably)

walk (make walk)

coerce; force; hale; pressure; squeeze (to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means)

clamor (compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring)

condemn (compel or force into a particular state or activity)

shame (compel through a sense of shame)

apply; enforce; implement (ensure observance of laws and rules)

constrain; enforce; impose (compel to behave in a certain way)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They obligate him to write the letter

Derivation:

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

Credits