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o·bey

(ō-bā)

v. o·beyed, o·bey·ing, o·beys

v.tr.

1. To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of.

2. To carry out or comply with (a command, for example).

v.intr.

To behave obediently.

[Middle English obeien, from Old French obeir, from Latin oboedīre, to listen to : ob-, to; see OB- + audīre, to hear; see au- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

o·beyer n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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