Search the Dictionary

The act of binding; restriction; also, obligation. Milton.

To bind by moral or legal obligation. Wolsey.

A bond or obligation given by a prisoner and his surety, to insure the prisoner's appearance in court, at the return of the writ.

ull surrender of his property, and is free from fraud, may be discharged from the legal obligation of his debts. See Insolvent, a.

To bring (any one) under definite legal obligations; esp. under the obligation of a bond or covenant. Abbott.

Moral or political duty or obligation. I love your majesty According to my bond, nor more nor less. Shak.

Obligation; tie of duty. He must resolve by no means to be . . . brought under the bondage of onserving oaths. South.

Under legal or moral restraint or obligation.

Under obligation; bound by some favor rendered; obliged; beholden. This holy word, that teacheth us truly our bounden duty toward our Lord God in every point. Ridley.

Specifically: A breaking or infraction of a law, or of any obligation or tie; violation; non-fulfillment; as, a breach of contract; a breach of promise.

To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise. Out, out, hyena! these are thy wonted arts . . . To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray. Milton

Sophistical, equivocal, or false reasoning or teaching in regard to duties, obligations, and morals.

To bring together by colligation; to sum up in a single proposition. He had discovered and colligated a multitude of the most wonderful . . . phenomena. Tundall.

To exchange; to put or substitute something else in place of, as a smaller penalty, obligation, or payment, for a greater, or a single thing for an aggregate; hence; to lessen; to diminish; as, to commute a sentence of death to one of imprisonment for life; to commute tithes; to commute charges for fares. The sounds wa…

The adjustment of a debt, or avoidance of an obligation, by some form of compensation agreed on between the parties; also, the sum or amount of compensation agreed upon in the adjustment. Compositions for not taking the order of knighthood. Hallam. Cleared by composition with their creditors. Blackstone.…

To settle amicably; to adjust by agreement; to compromise; to discharge from obligation upon terms different from those which were stipulated; as, to compound a debt. I pray, my lords, let me compound this strife. Shak. To compound a felony, to accept of a consideration for forbearing to prosecute, such compounding bei…

One who compounds a debt, obligation, or crime. Religious houses made compounders For the horrid actions of their founders. Hudibras.

To con answer, to be able to answer. [Obs.] -- To con thanks, to thank; to acknowledge obligation. [Obs.] Shak.

which has for its object to suspend, to defeat, or in some way to modify, the principal obligation; or, in case of a will, to suspend, revoke, or modify a devise or bequest. It is also the case of a future uncertain event, which may or may not happen, and on the occurrence or non-occurrence of which, the accomplishment…

ment; avowal, especially in a matter pertaining to one's self; the admission of a debt, obligation, or crime. With a crafty madness keeps aloof, When we would bring him on to some confession Of his true state. Shak.