obedience

CEFRB2

/ə(ʊ)ˈbiːdɪəns/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    The act of doing what someone tells you to do.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A written instruction from the superior of an order to those under him.

Examples

  • We should always act in obedience to the law.

  • Don't interpret their silence as obedience.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Synonyms
1

Also pronounced

  • /əˈbidiəns/
  • /oʊˈbidiəns/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The collective body of persons subject to any particular authority.

  2. The quality of being obedient.

  3. Any official position under an abbot's jurisdiction.

More examples

In context

  • February 24, 1823, Thomas Jefferson, letter to Mr. Edward Everett Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.

  • Obedience is essential in any army.

  • Cautioning Nobs to silence, and he had learned many lessons in the value of obedience since we had entered Caspak, I slunk forward, taking advantage of whatever cover I could find...

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The well-trained dog showed perfect blank by sitting and staying when commanded.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English obedience, from Anglo-Norman obedience, from Old French obedience (modern French obédience), from Latin oboedientia. Displaced native Old English hīersumnes (compare modern English hearsomeness). Cognate with obeisance.