an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment (道义,法律上的)义务(或)责任;承诺 [with infinitive]I have an obligation to look after her. 我有义务照顾她。 ■[mass noun]the condition of being morally or legally bound to do something (道义,法律上必须做某事的)约束 they are under no obligation to stick to the scheme. 他们不受必须恪守该方案的任何约束。 ■a debt of gratitude for a service or favour 恩惠 she didn't want to be under an obligation to him. 她不想欠他的情。
常用词组 day of obligation
(in the Roman Catholic Church) a day on which all are required to attend Mass (罗马天主教)所有的人都必须出席做弥撒的日子
派生 obligational adjective 语源
Middle English (in the sense 'formal promise'): via Old French from Latin obligatio(n-), from the verb obligare (see oblige)