ob·li·ga·tion
/ˌɑ:bləˈgeɪʃən/ noun plural ob·li·ga·tions
1 : something that you must do because of a law, rule, promise, etc. [
count]
▪ The firm must fulfill its obligations under the contract. = The firm must fulfill its contractual obligations. ▪ legal/financial/constitutional obligations ▪ Both landlord and tenant should know their rights and obligations. [=responsibilities] [
noncount]
▪ You can try the machine for free without obligation. [=without being required to buy it or to do anything else] ▪ You are not under any obligation to stay. [=you are not required to stay] ▪ You're under no (legal) obligation to return the money. [=there is no law that requires you to return the money; you do not have to return the money]
2 : something that you must do because it is morally right [
count]
▪ family/social obligations ▪ She believes that all people have a moral obligation to defend human rights. ▪ He argues that people in a community have certain obligations to each other. ▪ She failed to fulfill her obligations as a parent. [
noncount]
▪ We visited them out of a sense of obligation. [=a feeling that it was the right thing to do]