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Oblige vs Uphold - What's the difference?

oblige | uphold |

As verbs the difference between oblige and uphold

is that oblige is to constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means while uphold is to hold up; to lift on high; to elevate.

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)

    Anagrams

    *

    uphold

    English

    Verb

  • To hold up; to lift on high; to elevate.
  • * '>citation
  • To keep erect; to support; to sustain; to keep from falling; to maintain.
  • *
  • *
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1872 , year_published=2009 , edition=HTML , editor= , author=James De Mille , title=The Cryptogram , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=The Gutenberg Project , isbn= , page= , passage=Uttering such broken ejaculations Mrs. Hart burst into a passion of tears, and only Lord Chetwynde's strong arms prevented her from falling. / He upheld her. }}
  • To support by approval or encouragement.
  • * 1748 . . Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 18:
  • but there was still a connexion upheld among the different ideas, which succeeded each other.

    Derived terms

    * (l)

    References

    * * Notes: