Obligation and Rules

to follow the rules, commands, or wishes of someone, showing compliance to their authority

The employees must abide by the supervisor's instructions at the construction site.

the fact of complying with a command, order, impulse, etc. or following someone's rules and beliefs

Her strict adherence to the company's policies earned her a promotion.

to keep following a certain regulation, belief, or agreement

The employees must adhere to the dress code.

a rule that prevents people of certain age from doing specific activities or having access to certain services

There's an age limit of 21 years for purchasing alcohol in this country.

used for expressing possibility or for indicating something that is due to happen or take place

The president is to arrive in the country tomorrow.

to have a moral duty or be forced to do a particular thing, often due to legal reasons

After receiving such generous help from her neighbor, she felt obliged to return the favor by watching their pets while they were away.

to do something that is not strictly according to rules, often by making exceptions

She often bends the rules to give her students more opportunities for creativity.

to secure or tie together using ropes or other materials

The sailor will bind the cargo securely to the ship's deck with sturdy ropes.

‌to start to use or implement a new law, rule, etc.

something that is considered as one's responsibility or moral obligation

to enter someone's property by force and without their consent, particularly to steal something

The alarm system alerted the police when someone tried to break in.

the responsibility or obligation placed on someone to provide sufficient evidence or justification to support a claim or accusation, typically in a legal or argumentative context

During a debate, each debater has the burden of proof to support their arguments and convince the audience of their position.

a set of rules or directives made and maintained by an authority, especially in order to regulate conduct

a highway or route built to divert traffic around a town or city center

The new bypass reduced congestion in the downtown area.

to evade an obligation, question, or problem by means of excuses or dishonesty

Many companies circumvent their environmental responsibilities by outsourcing to suppliers in other countries.

the act of evading something by going around it, especially in a clever or illegal way

an instruction or message that is very clear about what needs to be done

to make someone do something

The convincing argument compelled her to change her stance on the issue.

the act of following rules or regulations

Regulatory compliance is essential for businesses to operate legally and avoid penalties.

willingly obeying rules or doing what other people demand

The compliant student always completes assignments on time and follows classroom rules.

forced to be done by law or authority

Attendance at the safety training session is compulsory for all employees.

the state of something at a particular time

He checked the condition of the tires before the long road trip.

the act of following or obeying the rules of something particular

to go against an argument or statement

The evidence clearly contravenes the defendant's testimony.

refusal to conform with a law or rule

to act in accordance with rules, regulations, or requests

Employees are expected to comply with the company's code of conduct.

to have power over a person, company, country, etc. and to decide how things should be done

The CEO sought to control the company's strategic direction.

to fail at accomplishing an obligation, particularly a financial one

If you miss your mortgage payments, you may default on your home loan.

to refuse to respect a person of authority or to observe a law, rule, etc.

The rebellious teenager decided to defy the instructions given by their parents.

to remove or reduce regulations or restrictions on a particular industry or activity

The government decided to deregulate the telecommunications industry to promote competition and innovation.

the act of freeing from regulation (especially from governmental regulations)

relating to the removal or reduction of governmental power or regulations from an industry, commodity, etc.

the partial abolishment of a law or restriction; an occasion in which a law or rule can be ignored or circumvented