These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'noblesse oblige.' noblesse oblige meaning: 1. the idea that someone with power and influence should use their social position to help other…. Then, as now, "noblesse oblige" referred to the unwritten obligation of people from a noble ancestry to act honorably and generously to others. Learn more. For example, a primary obligation of a nobleman could include generosity towards those around him. From French, meaning “nobility obligates.”. He was raised to have a strong sense of Graham had a medical degree and was living in settlement housing, where the wealthy lived alongside the poor, which appealed to his sense of And, unlike the goal of simply becoming fabulously wealthy — which one could also accomplish by winning the lottery or marrying a nonroyal oil magnate — princesshood came with a sense of Enhanced representations of art by women, African-Americans, Africans, Latin-Americans, and Asians can feel tentative, pitched between self-evident justice and For some of America’s elite in the 1960s and ’70s, supporting efforts to limit population growth was partly an act of A French phrase meaning nobility obliges, used to mean the type of honorable behavior that is supposed to be incumbent on people of rank or privilege.An adventurer like Lemuel Struthers might build up the millions of his Shoe Polish on any number of shady dealings; but unblemished honesty was the He found, with rare and mythical exceptions, that there was no She picked at the darned table-cloth and went on: "You look as if you knew what isn't snobbery as well as what is; and when I say that ours is a good old family, you'll understand it is a necessary part of the story; indeed, my chief danger is in my brother's high-and-dry notions, Policy and politics are a full-time responsibility; not a hobbyhorse or self-indulgent exercise in For the Queen to shake Merkel's hand and not even to acknowledge President Putin as he wasn't invited shows the British state at the true zenith of its introversion, She characterizes the innumerable acts of kindness by Bob's sisters towards the less fortunate as The civil rights movement's insistence on immediate equality and integration rather than a Washingtonian model of patience and accommodation discredited his efforts as complicit with racism and discrimination, or at best It grieves us to see the passing of an exemplary executive who practiced the spirit of "Once you can fake that you've got it made.") noblesse oblige - the obligation of those of high rank to be honorable and generous (often used ironically) duty , obligation , responsibility - the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force; "we must instill a sense of duty in our children"; "every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty"- John … This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

Learn more. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Benevolent, honorable behavior considered to be the responsibility of persons of high birth or rank. noblesse oblige. noblesse oblige definition: 1. the idea that someone with power and influence should use their social position to help other….
In French, "noblesse oblige" means literally "nobility obligates." French speakers transformed the phrase into a noun, which English speakers picked up in the 19th century. French, literally, nobility obligates Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!Learn a new word every day. Noblesse oblige definition is - the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth. [ (noh- bles oh- bleezh) ] The belief that the wealthy and privileged are obliged to help those less fortunate. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by … Later, by extension, it also came to refer to the obligation of anyone who is in a better position than others - due, for example, to high office or celebrity - to act respectably and responsibly. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Most historians will surely conclude however that his hasty departure was an appalling abdication of responsibility; the very antithesis of Wicker argues that FDR's actions coupled with these kinds of speeches rule out Delivered to your inbox! the moral obligation of the rich or highborn to display honorable and generous conduct. Noblesse oblige is a French expression used in English meaning that nobility extends beyond mere entitlements and requires the person who holds such a status to fulfill social responsibilities.