obey

obey — verb

1. to do what a person in charge tells you to do, or to act in line with a rule, la

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to do what a person in charge tells you to do, or to act in line with a rule, law, sign, or written instruction.

例句

Soldiers must obey their commanding officer, even when the order seems harsh.

obey + [person in authority]

Drivers in Taipei have to obey the speed limit on every street.

obey + [rule/law]

同義詞
  • follow

    softer; works for advice or instructions, not just commands

  • comply with

    more formal; usually paired with rules, requests, or regulations

  • abide by

    formal; almost always with laws, rules, or agreements

反義詞
  • disobey

    direct opposite — refuse to follow

  • defy

    stronger; openly refuse and challenge authority

文法句型

obey + person

obey + rule/law/order

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person, animal, or group; object is either the authority figure (parent, officer, judge) or the rule/order itself. Used intransitively when the obeyed party is clear from context.

常見錯誤

❌You must obey to your parents.
✅You must obey your parents.
💡'obey' is transitive in English; no preposition before the person.
❌The dog obeyed at the trainer.
✅The dog obeyed the trainer.
💡direct object only, no 'at' or 'with'.

2. of an object or natural system, to act in the way described by a scientific rule

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

of an object or natural system, to act in the way described by a scientific rule or principle.

例句

A falling apple obeys the law of gravity, no matter how high it starts.

[natural object] + obey + [scientific law]

Light obeys very strict rules when it passes through a glass prism.

同義詞
  • follow

    common alternative; less formal in scientific writing

  • conform to

    more academic; emphasises matching a stated pattern

反義詞
  • violate

    used when something appears to break a known law

文法句型

[object/system] + obey + [law/principle]

用法筆記

Subject is typically an inanimate object, force, or system (light, gas, particle, wave); object is a named scientific principle. Distinguish from sense 1: no authority figure is involved, only physical regularity.

常見錯誤

❌The water obeys to the law of pressure.
✅The water obeys the law of pressure.
💡direct object, no 'to'.

3. if a body part will not obey its owner, it fails to move or perform as that pers

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

if a body part will not obey its owner, it fails to move or perform as that person wants — usually because of injury, illness, or strong emotion.

例句

After the stroke, Mr. Lin's left hand simply would not obey him.

frequently negated; body part as subject

Her legs refused to obey her as she tried to run from the burning house.

[body part] + refuse to obey + [person]

同義詞

文法句型

[body part] + (not) + obey + [person]

frequently negated

用法筆記

Almost always negative or limited (would not, refused to, no longer). Subject is a body part (hand, legs, voice, fingers); object is the person who owns that body part. Distinguish from sense 1: the failure is physical, not a choice to disobey.

常見錯誤

❌My hands don't obey for me.
✅My hands won't obey me.
💡direct object, no 'for'; usually negative with 'won't' or 'wouldn't'.