disoblige
Americanverb (used with object)
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to refuse or neglect to oblige; act contrary to the desire or convenience of; fail to accommodate.
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to give offense to; affront.
to be disobliged by a tactless remark.
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to cause inconvenience to; incommode.
to be disobliged by an uninvited guest.
verb
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to disregard the desires of
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to slight; insult
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informal to cause trouble or inconvenience to
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disoblige
1595–1605; < Middle French desobliger, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + obliger to oblige
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
True, Sir Luke—and I am afraid my father and mother will begin to be uneasy that I have not got one yet—and I shou'd be very sorry to disoblige them.
From Such Things Are A Play, in Five Acts by Inchbald, Mrs.
When Preston came, as usual, the duke took his opportunity of asking him what he had ever done to disoblige him, that he should describe him in such black characters to his own party?
From Curiosities of Literature, Vol. 3 by Disraeli, Isaac
Mr. Lyon looked a little disturbed; but his manner was perfect, as he replied that he regretted to seem to disoblige, but that he feared the conditions of their little bet would not allow it.
From Devil Stories An Anthology by Various
"I am sorry to disoblige you, Mrs. Ross, but it would be unjust," said Mr. Mead.
From The Tin Box and What it Contained by Alger, Horatio
"He's a good sort of man, and won't disoblige me, I'll warrant."
From The Gipsy (Vols I & II) A Tale by James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Possibly after I have disobliged him so much, he may be glad to have her so easily provided for, with money already raised; especially if he has a design to marry himself, as I hear.
From A Letter Book Selected with an Introduction on the History and Art of Letter-Writing by Saintsbury, George
De Pradt, and many other of those statesmen whom Napoleon, in latter days, had disgraced or disobliged, were, ere this time, labouring diligently in the same service.
From The History of Napoleon Buonaparte by Lockhart, J. G. (John Gibson)
The fears, the inquietudes, the uneasy days, the restless nights; all arising from doubts of having disobliged me!
From Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 3 by Richardson, Samuel
He is reported to be spiteful and malicious, even to the whole family of any single person who has once disobliged him; and to his own relations most of all.
From Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 1 by Richardson, Samuel
We are all apt, you know, my dear, to praise our benefactors, because they are our benefactors; as if every body did right or wrong, as they obliged or disobliged us.
From Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 1 by Richardson, Samuel
A few are offering the odd disobliging word about Mr Dowden, suggesting he never wanted to be party chairman in the first place and was very disappointed to be demoted from being culture secretary.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2022
I sometimes wonder what it is that makes her get up in the morning and face the disobliging headlines and cartoons, and what it is is a very old-fashioned sense of public service.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 16, 2018
"You know, the great British portraitist. He was jealous of the prices she commanded and in his work Oriental Tales he was most disobliging about her. Said she was feeble and vulgar!"
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2015
Ireland, with the images of Jack Charlton's side incised on the national consciousness forever, have been seen at times as a disobliging bunch.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 11, 2012
It is a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
