- obsequious
- \ \ see SEQUENCE
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
obsequious
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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… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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
