obrigação

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese obrigaçon, obligaçon, from Latin obligātiōnem, possibly taken as a semi-learned word.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /o.bɾi.ɡaˈsɐ̃w̃/ [o.bɾi.ɡaˈsɐ̃ʊ̯̃]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɔ.bɾi.ɡɐˈsɐ̃w̃/ [ɔ.βɾi.ɣɐˈsɐ̃w̃]

• Rhymes: -ɐ̃w̃
• Hyphenation: o‧bri‧ga‧ção

Noun

obrigação f (plural obrigações)

1. duty

   Synonym: dever

   • 2007, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e as Relíquias da Morte [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] (Harry Potter; 7), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 49:

     Minha obrigação é levar você em segurança, Harry!

     My duty is to bring you safely, Harry!

2. (figurative) workplace
   • 1890, Aluísio Azevedo, O Cortiço, Rio de Janeiro: B. L. Garnier:

     Não obstante, as casinhas do cortiço, à proporção que se atamancavam, enchiam-se logo, sem mesmo dar tempo a que as tintas secassem. Havia grande avidez em alugá-las; aquele era o melhor ponto do bairro para a gente do trabalho. Os empregados da pedreira preferiam todos morar lá, porque ficavam a dois passos da obrigação.

     Nonetheless, the slum's little houses, as soon as they got finished, they rapidly got filled, leaving no time for even the paint to dry. There was some eagerness in renting them; that was the best place in the neighborhood for the workperson. All the quarrymen preferred to live there, as it was two feet away from their workplace.

Related terms

• obrigar