Word Explorer
Children's
Dictionary Suite
Help
Help
Help
 
Elementary Dictionary
       

o·bey

obey

 
 
pronunciation:
o beI
features:
Word History, Word Explorer
part of speech: verb
inflections: obeys, obeying, obeyed
definition 1: When you obey someone, you do what that person tells you to do.
I'm teaching my puppy to come when I call him, but he doesn't always obey me. Sometimes he just runs away and I have to chase him.Jacob obeyed his mother when she told him to clean his room.
synonyms:
comply with, mind
antonyms:
command, disobey
similar words:
observe, surrender, yield to
definition 2: When you obey a rule or a law, you do what it says.
If the teacher catches you not obeying the school rules, you will get in trouble.The people obeyed the king's command.
synonyms:
carry out, fulfill, mind, observe
antonyms:
disobey, ignore
similar words:
comply with, conform to, keep, perform
derivations: obeyable (adj.), obeyingly (adv.), obeyer (n.)
Word History
The word obey comes from an early French word that means "give ear to" or "pay attention to."
Word Explorer
See
  tradition