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Exempt vs Oblige - What's the difference?

exempt | oblige |

As verbs the difference between exempt and oblige

is that exempt is to grant (someone) freedom or immunity (from) while oblige is .

As an adjective exempt

is free from a duty or obligation.

As a noun exempt

is one who has been released from something.

exempt

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Free from a duty or obligation.
    • In their country all women are exempt from military service.
    His income is so small that it is exempt from tax.
  • * Dryden
    • 'Tis laid on all, not any one exempt .
  • (of an employee or his position) Not entitled to overtime pay when working overtime.
  • (obsolete) Cut off; set apart.
  • * Shakespeare
    • corrupted, and exempt from ancient gentry
  • (obsolete) Extraordinary; exceptional.
    • (Chapman)

    Derived terms

    * tax-exempt

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who has been released from something.
  • (historical) A type of French police officer.
  • * 1840 , (William Makepeace Thackeray), ‘Cartouche’, The Paris Sketch Book :
    • with this he slipped through the exempts quite unsuspected, and bade adieu to the Lazarists and his honest father […].
  • (UK) One of four officers of the Yeomen of the Royal Guard, having the rank of corporal; an exon.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To grant (someone) freedom or immunity (from).

    • Related terms

    * exemption

    oblige

    English

    Verb

    (oblig)
  • To constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means.
    • I am obliged to report to the police station every week.
    {{quote-Fanny Hill, part=3 , Tho' he was some time awake before me, yet did he not offer to disturb a repose he had given me so much occasion for; but on my first stirring, which was not till past ten o'clock, I was oblig'd to endure one more trial of his manhood.}}
  • To do someone a service or favour (hence, originally, creating an obligation).
    • He obliged me by not parking his car in the drive.
  • *
  • To be indebted to someone.
    • I am obliged to you for your recent help.
  • To do a service or favour.
    • The singer obliged with another song.

    Derived terms

    * disoblige

    Usage notes

    "Obliged" has largely replaced "obligate"; the latter being more common in the the 17th through 19th centuries.The New Fowler’s Modern English Usage (1996)

    Related terms

    * much obliged * noblesse oblige * obligate * obligation * obligatory * obligee * obligor

    Anagrams

    *

    References

    English control verbs English intransitive verbs English transitive verbs ----