Beholden

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /bɪˈhəʊldən/

Definitions

1. Being in a state of owing gratitude or loyalty to another due to prior assistance or favor received
2. Experiencing a sense of responsibility or obligation towards someone because of past kindness or support given
3. Feeling morally or personally indebted to someone for their help or kindness

Etymology: "Beholden" looks like it should be a form of "behold," and in one sense it is, but the connection is tangled. Middle English "biholden" was the past participle of "biholden," a verb that meant "to behold" or "look at," the ancestor of modern "behold." Yet that verb never meant "to bind" or "to obligate," so the sense of obligation in "beholden" did not come straight from the act of looking. The meaning of obligation appears to have arisen through the participle itself. Being "held" to someone by a debt of kindness or service is a natural extension of the "hold" in "behold," so the word drifted from simply being looked upon toward being bound by favour. This shift is the surprising part: a word meant for seeing ended up describing an attachment formed by receiving help.

Synonyms: indebted, obligated, thankful

Antonyms: independent, unobligated