Past tense of obligate; bound by duty, contract, or moral responsibility to do something.
From Latin 'obligatus', past participle of 'obligare' meaning 'to bind' (ob- 'toward' + ligare 'to bind'). The word carries the literal sense of being tied or bound to a commitment, whether legal, moral, or social.
The word preserves the ancient Roman concept of being literally 'bound toward' something - obligations are like invisible ropes that connect us to our duties and commitments. Modern life is a complex web of these bindings, from legal contracts to social expectations.
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