{
    "term": "obey",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "obey",
            "heSheIt": "obeys"
        },
        "pastSimple": "obeyed",
        "pastParticiple": "obeyed",
        "ingForm": "obeying"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to do what you are told or expected to do",
            "sensetop": "obey somethingobey somebody",
            "labels": "(figurative)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to **obey a command/an order/rules/the law**",
                    "contextForm": "obey something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was arrested when he failed to obey a police instruction to stop."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He has turned into an efficient soldier, **blindly obeying** orders *(= without questioning them)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He had always obeyed his parents without question.",
                    "contextForm": "obey somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I tried to run but my legs just wouldn't obey me."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Sit down!’ Meekly, she obeyed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He refuses to obey the rules."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The driver refused to obey police instructions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The soldiers were punished for failing to obey orders."
                },
                {
                    "text": "People have a moral duty to obey the law."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was used to having her orders instantly obeyed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She's being punished for failure to obey a court order."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["War and conflict"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["immediately", "instantly", "quickly"],
                "verb + obey": ["have to", "must", "refuse to"],
                "phrases": [
                    "be only obeying orders",
                    "a duty to obey",
                    "an obligation to obey"
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪ/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obey__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪz/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obeys__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪd/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obeyed__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obeying__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪ/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obey__us_2_rr.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪz/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obeys__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪd/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obeyed__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈbeɪɪŋ/",
                "audio": "ob/obey/obeying__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French obeir, from Latin oboedire, from ob- ‘in the direction of’ + audire ‘hear’."
}