Obsequious

Obsequious
Obsequious Ob*se"qui*ous, a. [L. obsequiosus, fr. obsequium compliance, fr. obsequi, fr. obsequi: cf. F. obs['e]quieux, See {Obsequent}, and cf. {Obsequy}.] 1. Promptly obedient, or submissive, to the will of another; compliant; yielding to the desires of another; devoted. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

His servants weeping, Obsequious to his orders, bear him hither. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

2. Servilely or meanly attentive; compliant to excess; cringing; fawning; as, obsequious flatterer, parasite. [1913 Webster]

There lies ever in ``obsequious'' at the present the sense of an observance which is overdone, of an unmanly readiness to fall in with the will of another. --Trench. [1913 Webster]

3. [See {Obsequy}.] Of or pertaining to obsequies; funereal. [R.] ``To do obsequious sorrow.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Compliant; obedient; servile. See {Yielding}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • obsequious — I adjective compilable, compliant, concessive, crawling, cringing, crouching, deferential, docile, enslaved, fawning, flattering, groveling, humble, ingratiating, obedient, scraping, servile, slavish, spineless, submissive, subordinate,… …   Law dictionary

  • obsequious — (adj.) late 15c., prompt to serve, from L. obsequiosus compliant, obedient, from obsequium compliance, dutiful service, from obsequi to accommodate oneself to the will of another, from ob after (see OB (Cf. ob )) + sequi to follow (see SEQUEL (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • obsequious — *subservient, servile, slavish, menial Analogous words: deferential, obeisant (see corresponding nouns at HONOR): *compliant, acquiescent: sycophantic, parasitic, toadyish (see corresponding nouns at PARASITE): cringing, fawning, truckling,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • obsequious — [adj] groveling, submissive abject, beggarly, brownnosing*, complacent, compliable, compliant, cringing, crouching, deferential, enslaved, fawning, flattering, ingratiating, kowtowing*, menial, obeisant, oily*, parasitic, parasitical, prostrate,… …   New thesaurus

  • obsequious — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree. DERIVATIVES obsequiously adverb obsequiousness noun. ORIGIN from Latin obsequium compliance , from obsequi follow, comply with …   English terms dictionary

  • obsequious — [əb sē′kwē əs, äbsē′kwē əs] adj. [ME obsequyouse < L obsequiosus < obsequium, compliance < obsequi, to comply with < ob (see OB ) + sequi, to follow: see SEQUENT] 1. showing too great a willingness to serve or obey; fawning 2. Archaic …   English World dictionary

  • obsequious — adjective an elderly gentlemen surrounded by obsequious heirs Syn: servile, ingratiating, sycophantic, fawning, unctuous, oily, oleaginous, groveling, cringing, subservient, submissive, slavish; informal brown nosing, bootlicking, smarmy; vulgar… …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • obsequious — obsequiously, adv. obsequiousness, n. /euhb see kwee euhs/, adj. 1. characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning: an obsequious bow. 2. servilely compliant or deferential: obsequious servants. 3. obedient; dutiful. [1375 …   Universalium

  • obsequious — [[t]ɒbsi͟ːkwiəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If you describe someone as obsequious, you are criticizing them because they are too eager to help or agree with someone more important than them. Barrow was positively obsequious to me until he… …   English dictionary

  • obsequious — ob•se•qui•ous [[t]əbˈsi kwi əs[/t]] adj. characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning; sycophantic: an obsequious bow; obsequious servants[/ex] • Etymology: 1375–1425; late ME < L obsequiōsus, der. of obsequium… …   From formal English to slang

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