obey: [13] ‘To hear is to obey’ carries more than a germ of etymological truth. For obey comes via Old French obeir from Latin ōbēdīre, which meant literally ‘listen to’. It was a compound verb formed from the prefix ob- ‘to’ and audīre ‘hear’ (source of English audible). By classical times the metaphorical sense ‘obey’ had virtually taken over from the original ‘listen to’, and it is this sense that informs the related obedient [13] and obeisance [14]. => audible, obedient
obey (v.)
late 13c., from Old French obeir "obey, be obedient, do one's duty" (12c.), from Latin obedire, oboedire "obey, be subject, serve; pay attention to, give ear," literally "listen to," from ob "to" (see ob-) + audire "listen, hear" (see audience). Same sense development is in cognate Old English hiersumnian. Related: Obeyed; obeying.
实用例句
1. Clifford's only stipulation is that his clients obey his advice.
克利福德唯一的要求就是客户必须听从他的建议。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They obey the one unwritten rule that binds them all—no talking.
他们都遵守着那条约束他们所有人的默认规则——要守口如瓶。
来自柯林斯例句
3. He threatened to disinherit her if she refused to obey.
他威胁说如果她拒绝服从就剥夺她的继承权。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Will you kindly obey the instructions I am about to give?
