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Obey vs Follow - What's the difference?

obey | follow |

In transitive terms the difference between obey and follow

is that obey is to do as ordered by (a person, institution etc), to act according to the bidding of while follow is to walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling.

obey

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To do as ordered by (a person, institution etc), to act according to the bidding of.
  • To do as one is told.
  • (obsolete) To be obedient, compliant (to a given law, restriction etc.).
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.iv:
  • They were all taught by Triton, to obay / To the long raynes, at her commaundement [...].

    Antonyms

    * disobey * defy * rebel * resist * violate (especially rules )

    follow

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction.
  • To go or come after in a sequence.
  • We both ordered the soup, with roast beef to follow .
  • To carry out (orders, instructions, etc.).
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on an afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.
  • To live one's life according to (religion, teachings, etc).
  • To understand, to pay attention to.
  • To watch, to keep track of (reports of) some event or person.
  • To be a logical consequence of.
  • To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling.
  • * Shakespeare
  • O, had I but followed the arts!

    Synonyms

    * (go after in a physical space) trail, tail * (in a sequence) succeed * (carry out) pursue * (be a consequence) ensue

    Antonyms

    * (go after in a physical space) guide, lead * (go after in a sequence) precede

    Derived terms

    * followable * follow along * followed by * follower * following * follow in someone's footsteps * follow on * follow out * follow shot * follow suit * follow someone off a cliff * follow the leader/follow-the-leader * follow the queen * follow through * follow-through * follow up * follow-up * hard act to follow * soon to follow * tough act to follow

    See also

    * chase

    Statistics

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