obligate
/ˈɒb.lɪ.ɡeɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɑːb.lɪ.ɡeɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈä-blə-ˌgāt/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɒb.lɪ.ɡət/ (bre, ipa)
obligate — verb
- obligatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- obligates3rd person singular
- obligating-ing form
- obligatedpast simple
1. to make someone have to do something because a rule, promise, duty, or situation
to make someone have to do something because a rule, promise, duty, or situation leaves no real choice
The contract obligates the builder to finish the roof by July.
obligate + person + to + verb
School rules obligate every swimmer to wear a cap in the pool.
law or rule + obligate + person + to-infinitive
By signing the form, Nina obligated herself to repay the loan within a year.
The storm warning obligated the rescue team to stay near the river overnight.
文法句型
obligate + someone + to + verb
obligate yourself + to + verb
用法筆記
Usually appears in legal, official, or moral contexts and is followed by a person or group plus a to-infinitive. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 puts someone under a duty, while sense 2 commits money or property to cover that duty.
常見錯誤
2. to officially set money or property aside so it will be used to pay a debt or me
to officially set money or property aside so it will be used to pay a debt or meet another promised need
The city obligated two million dollars for the new bridge project.
obligate + amount of money + for + purpose
Before the grant arrived, the college had already obligated part of its budget.
The agency must obligate the remaining funds before the budget year ends.
Without board approval, the charity cannot obligate donated land as security for debt.
文法句型
obligate + funds
obligate + property + as security
用法筆記
Most common in finance and government writing. The direct object is usually money, funds, property, or other assets rather than a person.
常見錯誤
obligate — adjective
- obligatepositive
- more obligatecomparative
- most obligatesuperlative
1. able to live, grow, or reproduce only when a particular food, host, or environme
able to live, grow, or reproduce only when a particular food, host, or environment is available
Cats are obligate carnivores and need meat every day.
obligate + biological category
The lab studies obligate parasites that can live only inside a host.
An obligate anaerobe will die if oxygen gets into the tank.
The fungus is an obligate parasite that depends on living leaves.
- dependent
general word for needing something; less technical and less specific
- specialized
suggests narrow adaptation, but not always absolute dependence
- restricted
describes the limited condition, though it sounds less biological
- facultative
technical opposite for something that can live in more than one way
- adaptable
general word for being able to manage under different conditions
文法句型
obligate carnivore
obligate parasite
obligate anaerobe
用法筆記
Common in biology labels such as obligate carnivore, obligate parasite, and obligate anaerobe. It usually appears before the noun that names the needed food, host, or condition.
常見錯誤
2. guaranteed to carry a certain gene or other inherited feature, based on the pare
guaranteed to carry a certain gene or other inherited feature, based on the parents or breeding pattern
From this cross, every chick is obligate for the blue-feather gene.
be obligate for + gene
The calf is obligate for horns, so none of its young will be hornless.
Breeders kept the seed line because each plant was obligate for red flowers.
Genetic tests showed the foal was obligate for the silver coat pattern.
- certain
the general everyday word, without the technical breeding sense
- guaranteed
stresses certainty, but not specifically inheritance
文法句型
be obligate for + gene
be obligate for + trait
用法筆記
Used mainly in genetics and breeding. It usually follows be and is followed by for plus the gene or trait that must be present.