something by which a person is bound or obliged to do certain things, and which arises out of a sense of duty or results from custom, law, etc.
something that is done or is to be done for such reasons: to fulfill one's obligations.
a binding promise, contract, sense of duty, etc.
the act of binding or obliging oneself by a promise, contract, etc.
Law.
an agreement enforceable by law, originally applied to promises under seal.
a document containing such an agreement.
a bond containing a penalty, with a condition annexed for payment of money, performance of covenants, etc.
any bond, note, bill, certificate, or the like, as of a government or a corporation, serving as evidence of indebtedness.
an indebtedness or amount of indebtedness.
a favor, service, or benefit for which gratitude is due.
a debt of gratitude: He felt an obligation to his teacher.
the state of being under a debt, as of gratitude, for a favor, service, or benefit.
Origin of obligation
1250–1300; Middle English obligacioun<Old French obligation<Latin obligātiōn- (stem of obligātiō) a binding, equivalent to obligāt(us) bound (see obligate) + -iōn--ion
Although corporations can opt in to become a PBC, there is no obligation on them to do so and they need the support of their shareholders.
50 years later, Milton Friedman’s shareholder doctrine is dead|jakemeth|September 13, 2020|Fortune
Right now, 71 percent of all non-agricultural part-time workers fit the latter category, and one of the biggest noneconomic reasons that people look for or accept part-time work is child care obligations.
The Easy Part Of The Economic Recovery Might Be Over|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|September 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Each of us has an obligation to befriend people who are different from us and invite them into our homes.
We won’t have a true economic recovery until we tackle the racial wealth gap|matthewheimer|September 1, 2020|Fortune
Earlier in lockdown, when people were always available — because life outside the home was essentially banned — there were new, complicated obligations to be virtually present.
‘It can take on a panopticon effect’: Slack’s presenteeism problem grows with no end in sight for remote work|Lucinda Southern|August 28, 2020|Digiday
By spreading out the payments over many years, he could keep his tax obligations low.
How the City Came to Lease a Lemon|Lisa Halverstadt and Jesse Marx|August 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Obviously, the first obligation of all liberal democratic governments is to enforce the rule of law.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is the obligation of citizens and journalists as well as governments.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too|John Avlon|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“It is our Islamic obligation to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and give it our Islamic fealty,” he said.
ISIS Targets Afghanistan Just as the U.S. Quits|Sami Yousafzai, Christopher Dickey|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But he has always said we have an obligation to defend people in the region.
Rand Paul Declares War on ISIS—and Allows Boots on the Ground|Olivia Nuzzi|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Krauss says that ending religion is a matter of obligation, but I think our obligations are much different.
Why Are Millennials Unfriending Organized Religion?|Vlad Chituc|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It has created neither the sense of obligation nor the determination of what is right or wrong in conduct.
Introduction to the History of Religions|Crawford Howell Toy
The obligation was mutual, that the host should give hospitality, and that the guest should not abuse it.