Search from various English teachers...
markhu26
Help me paraphrase "had been obliged"
"Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged, because there were very few gentlemen, to sit out two dances; and during that part of time, Mr Darcy had been standing near enough for her to hear a conversation between him and Mr Bingley, who came from the dance for a few minutes, to press his friend to join it."
Sep 11, 2017 7:42 AM
Answers · 4
1
Elizabeth Bennet was made to
Elizabeth Bennet was forced to
Elizabeth Bennet had no option/choice but to
or simply
Elizabeth Bennet had to
September 11, 2017
1
I might say - Elizabeth Bennet had no option but to sit out two dances
September 11, 2017
1
The best synonym, in my opinion, is "Elizabeth Bennet was forced . . ." It has, however, negative connotations that the word "oblige" doesn't have.
September 11, 2017
If you're quoting something, please make sure you're doing it correctly. It's from "Pride and Prejudice". Here's the correct quotation:
<<Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down for two dances; and during part of that time, Mr. Darcy had been standing near enough for her to hear a conversation between him and Mr. Bingley, who came from the dance for a few minutes, to press his friend to join it.>>
It makes much more of as sense now because one of the meanings the word 'oblige' has is to force or to make. In other words, Elizabeth Bennet had to (had been obliged / forced / made) sit and wait two dances because there were not enough dance partners.
September 11, 2017
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
markhu26
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, Japanese
Learning Language
English, Japanese
Articles You May Also Like

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
11 likes · 8 Comments

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
13 likes · 11 Comments

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
10 likes · 4 Comments
More articles