2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Oblige  \O*blige"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Obliged};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Obliging}.]  [OF.  obligier,  F.  obliger,  L.  obligare;  ob 
  (see  {Ob-})  +  ligare  to  bind.  See  {Ligament},  and  cf 
  {Obligate}.] 
  1.  To  attach,  as  by  a  bond.  [Obs.] 
 
  He  had  obliged  all  the  senators  and  magistrates 
  firmly  to  himself.  --Bacon. 
 
  2.  To  constrain  by  physical,  moral,  or  legal  force;  to  put 
  under  obligation  to  do  or  forbear  something 
 
  The  obliging  power  of  the  law  is  neither  founded  in 
  nor  to  be  measured  by  the  rewards  and  punishments 
  annexed  to  it  --South. 
 
  Religion  obliges  men  to  the  practice  of  those 
  virtues  which  conduce  to  the  preservation  of  our 
  health.  --Tillotson. 
 
  3.  To  bind  by  some  favor  rendered;  to  place  under  a  debt; 
  hence  to  do  a  favor  to  to  please;  to  gratify;  to 
  accommodate. 
 
  Thus  man,  by  his  own  strength,  to  heaven  would  soar, 
  And  would  not  be  obliged  to  God  for  more  --Dryden. 
 
  The  gates  before  it  are  brass,  and  the  whole  much 
  obliged  to  Pope  Urban  VIII.  --Evelyn. 
 
  I  shall  be  more  obliged  to  you  than  I  can  express. 
  --Mrs.  E. 
  Montagu. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  oblige 
  v  1:  force  or  compel  somebody  to  do  something  "We  compel  all 
  students  to  fill  out  this  form"  [syn:  {compel},  {obligate}] 
  2:  bind  by  an  obligation;  cause  to  be  indebted;  "He's  held  by  a 
  contract'  "I'll  hold  you  by  your  promise"  [syn:  {bind},  {hold}] 
  3:  provide  a  service  or  favor  for  someone  "We  had  to  oblige 
  him"  [syn:  {accommodate}]  [ant:  {disoblige}] 

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