obliged

1. 1
   adjective

   Required by duty, law, or a sense of moral pressure to do something.

   Citizens are legally obliged to pay taxes on their income.

   He felt morally obliged to return the lost wallet to its owner.

   Similarrequired, bound, compelled, forced

   Oppositeexempt

2. 2
   adjective

   Feeling thankful and in someone's debt because of a kindness or favor they have done.

   Much obliged for the introduction; it opened several doors for me.

   She was deeply obliged to the stranger who returned her purse.

   Similargrateful, thankful, indebted

   Oppositeungrateful

   Note

   Gratitude here takes two prepositions: you are obliged to the person and obliged for the favor, as in "greatly obliged for your help" or "deeply obliged to the stranger." That to sets it apart from the sense of being required, where to is followed by a verb rather than a person. Standing alone, much obliged works as a complete and courteous thank-you.

3. 3
   verb

   Past tense and past participle of oblige.

   The contract obliged the company to deliver within thirty days.

   He happily obliged when asked to sign a few copies.

   Note

   One spelling does two jobs. In "the contract obliged the company" it is a simple past, and in "has obliged" it is a participle. Behind it stand two verbs: one meaning to compel, and one meaning to do someone a favor, which originally created an obligation. That second verb explains the grateful adjective. In the passive, "was obliged to leave" shades into the "required" adjective.

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