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An impelling act or movement. God works in all things; all obey His first propulsion. Whittier.

or by defiance; to exasperate; to irritate; to offend intolerably; to cause to retaliate. Obey his voice, provoke him not. Ex. xxiii. 21. Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. Eph. vi. 4. Such acts Of contumacy will provoke the Highest To make death in us live. Milton. Can honor's voice provoke the silent dus…

To overpower; to subdue; to put down. The nation obeyed the call, rallied round the sovereign, and enabled him to quell the disaffected minority. Macaulay. Northward marching to quell the sudden revolt. Longfellow.

sion; debate; hence, objection; dispute; doubt; as, the story is true beyond question; he obeyed without question. There arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. John iii. 25. It is to be to question, whether it be lawful for Christian princes to make an invasive war simply for th…

severity of his looks with a reluctance to the action." Dryden. He had some reluctance to obey the summons. Sir W. Scott. Bear witness, Heaven, with what reluctancy Her helpless innocence I doom to die. Dryden.

The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control. Obey them that have the rule over you. Heb. xiii. 17. His stern rule the groaning land obeyed. Pope.

rf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.; specifically, in a religious sense, to obey and worship. God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit. Rom. i. 9. Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Gen. xxix. 18. No man can serve two masters. Matt. vi. 24. H…

event, or watchword, which has been agreed upon as the occasion of concerted action. All obeyed The wonted signal and superior voice Of this great potentate. Milton.

e neither love, nor sense of pain, Nor force of reason, can persuade, Then let example be obeyed. Granville.

To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey the helm; as, the boat steers easily. Where the wind Veers oft, as oft [a ship] so steers, and shifts her sail. Milton.

pire. [Obs.] Basilius, the judge, appointed sticklers and trumpets whom the others should obey. Sir P. Sidney. Our former chiefs, like sticklers of the war, First sought to inflame the parties, then to poise. Dryden.

. Yet by their sequestrators and subcommittees abroad . . . those orders were commonly disobeyed. Milton.

ubject longed to be a king, As I do long and wish to be a subject. Shak. The subject must obey his prince, because God commands it, human laws require it. Swift.

. Special summonses by the king. Hallam. This summons . . . unfit either to dispute or disobey. Bp. Fell. He sent to summon the seditious, and to offer pardon; but neither summons nor pardon was regarded. Sir J. Hayward.

s of the law; the condition under which one enters upon an office; under the necessity of obeying the laws; under vows of chastity.

Justificatory mandate or precept; authority; warrant. [R.] Shak. If they disobey precept, that is no excuse to us, nor gives us any warranty . . . to disobey likewise. Kettlewe

t mindful of him Ps. viii. 4. What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Matt. viii. 27.

speech he thus renews. Milton. Whereat he was no less angry and ashamed than desirous to obey Zelmane. Sir P. Sidney.

h or authority of the person who utters it; statement; affirmation; declaration; promise. Obey thy parents; keep thy word justly. Shak. I know you brave, and take you at your word. Dryden. I desire not the reader should take my word. Dryden.