OBEDIENCE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Obedience

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/oʊbˈidiəns/ Listen

noun

Obedience n.

The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control. "Government must compel the obedience of individuals."

Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness.

(Eccl.)

(a)

A following; a body of adherents; as, the Roman Catholic obedience, or the whole body of persons who submit to the authority of the pope.

(b)

A cell (or offshoot of a larger monastery) governed by a prior.

(c)

One of the three monastic vows.

(d)

The written precept of a superior in a religious order or congregation to a subject.

Canonical obedience. See under Canonical.

Passive obedience. See under Passive.

See images of 'Obedience'

Etymology of 'Obedience'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Obedience" Quotes from Famous Books

... neighboring convent, wearied them with exercises; but when the eldest girl was ten years old, the Comte de Granville insisted on the importance of giving her a master. Madame de Granville gave all the value of conjugal obedience to this needed concession,—it is part of a devote's character to make a merit of doing ...

— A Daughter of Eve • Honore de Balzac

... perhaps too partial to my passion, were I to attempt the doing his delicacy justice, I shall content myself then with assuring you, that after his flatly refusing the unreserved, unconditional donation that I long persecuted him in vain to accept, it was at length, in obedience to his serious commands (for I stood out unaffectedly, till he exerted the sovereign authority which love had given him over me), that I yielded my consent to waive the remonstrance I did not fail of making strongly to him, against his degrading himself, and incurring ...

— Memoirs Of Fanny Hill - A New and Genuine Edition from the Original Text (London, 1749) • John Cleland

... as they talked, slowly, with long pauses, and one by one the stirring facts of the rover's life came out. From his boyhood he had always done the reckless thing. He had known no restraint till, as a member of the Rough Riders, he yielded a partial obedience to his commanders. When the excitement of the campaigns was over he had deserted and gone back to the ...

— They of the High Trails • Hamlin Garland

... would do some desperate thing like stealing money to carry out this strange plan. But she did as he wished. There was a certain inflexible quality in Peter's mild voice, a certain determination in his insignificant face that required obedience to his wishes. Even Vic noticed it, and eyed Peter curiously, and asked Helen May ...

— Starr, of the Desert • B. M Bower

... through the Word. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the ...

— The Spirit and the Word - A Treatise on the Holy Spirit in the Light of a Rational - Interpretation of the Word of Truth • Zachary Taylor Sweeney

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