English
oblige
Oblige comes from Latin obligō, from ob ‘towards’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- ‘to bind, tie’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leyǵ-‘to bind, tie’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁epireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*op‘towards’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEob‘towards’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEobligō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400obligier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500obligen‘to oblige’
- Englishearliest quotation 1719oblige
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leyǵ-‘to bind, tie’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁epireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*op‘towards’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEob‘towards’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEobligō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400obligier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500obligen‘to oblige’
- Englishearliest quotation 1719oblige
Earliest quotation: 1719, John Harris, Astronomical dialogues between a gentleman and a lady: “In the mean time I have another trouble to…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- ‘to bind, tie’
league, religious, religion, ally, alloy, liable, liaison, ligament, lien, ligand, ligature, religiosity, legato, 15 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi
through Latin ob ‘towards’
Today it means
verb To constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- / oblige