Disoblige. Release from obligation lies at the root of all uses, present and past, of this word; but it was formerly more the release from an oath or a duty, and now rather from the slighter debts of social life, to which kindness and courtesy on the part of another would have held us bound or ‘obliged;’ while the contraries to these are ‘disobliging.’
He did not think that Act of Uniformity could disoblige them [the Non-Conformists] from the exercise of their office.—Bates, Mr. Richard Baxter’s Funeral Sermon.
Many that are imprisoned for debt, think themselves disobliged from payment.—Bishop Taylor, Holy Dying, c. 5, § 3.
He hath a very great obligation to do that and more; and he can noways be disobliged, but by the care of his natural relations.—Id., Measures and Offices of Friendship.
Ditty. By the ‘ditty’ were once understood the words of a song as distinguished from the musical accompaniment.
They fell to challenge and defy one another, whereupon he commanded the musician Eraton to sing unto the harp, who began his song on this wise out of the works of Hesiodus:—
Of quarrel and contention
There were as then more sorts than one;
for which I commended him in that he knew how to apply the ditty of his song so well unto the present time.—Holland, Plutarch’s Morals, p. 786.
So that, although we lay altogether aside the consideration of ditty or matter, the very harmony of sounds being framed in due sort, and carried by the ear to the spiritual faculties of the soul, is by a native puissance and efficacy greatly available to bring to a perfect temper whatsoever is there troubled.—Hooker, Ecclesiastical Polity, b. v. c. 38.