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  1. noblesse oblige love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Benevolent, honorable behavior considered to be the responsibility of persons of high birth or rank.

Wiktionary

  1. n. The honourable obligation that is the responsibility of those of high rank; in American English this often includes the expectation of benevolent actions such as helping those less fortunate.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. the obligation of those of high rank to be honorable and generous (often used ironically)

Etymologies

  1. From French, noblesse ("nobility") oblige ("obliges") (Wiktionary)
  2. French, nobility is an obligation : noblesse, nobility + oblige, third person sing. present tense of obliger, to obligate. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • “He found, with rare and mythical exceptions, that there was no noblesse oblige among the business and financial supermen.”

    Chapter V

  • “Something always held her back -- some vague blend of noble and ignoble motives, of pride and masochism and noblesse oblige and the Spartan Boy and Kate Barlass and a quite unreasonable feeling of hostility towards the white-veiled, white-coated young woman who hovered all the time behind Mr. Hinchley waiting for him to say "Double-ended spatula" or "Pink wax.”

    Mrs. Miniver

  • “Power: including rank over Dudley Smith and the noblesse oblige to make an afternoon of shitwork with Buzz Meeks tolerable.”

    The Big Nowhere

  • “(I was already feeling the superiority of my Nosferatitude, so it only seemed appropriate that I go all noblesse oblige on his ass.)”

    You Suck

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hypernyms (3)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. obligation
  1. duty
  1. responsibility

tags (1)

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  • jrome Watch Mary Poppins, it pops up in the father's opening song. Apr 2, 2007

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‘noblesse oblige’ has been looked up 1759 times, loved by 7 people, added to 29 lists, commented on 1 time, and is not a valid Scrabble word.