Definition of "obligation" []

• The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie. (noun)
• A social, legal, or moral requirement, such as a duty, contract, or promise that compels one to follow or avoid a particular course of action. (noun)
• A course of action imposed by society, law, or conscience by which one is bound or restricted. (noun)
• The constraining power of a promise, contract, law, or sense of duty. (noun)
• Law A legal agreement stipulating a specified payment or action, especially if the agreement also specifies a penalty for failure to comply. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "_perfect obligation_ is one that can be enforced -- one that exists where there is a right to compel the party on whom the obligation rests to fulfill it."
• "Of course you want to be fair and respectful to the author, but your main obligation is to the readers of the review and by extension, to"
• "The source of the obligation is the VCLT, not the later treaty."