1. The act of obeying, or the state of being obedient; compliance with that which is required by authority; subjection to rightful restraint or control. Government must compel the obedience of individuals. Ames.
2. Words or actions denoting submission to authority; dutifulness. Shak.
3. (Eccl.) (a) A following; a body of adherents; as, the Roman Catholic obedience, or the whole body of persons who submit to the authority of the pope. (b) A cell (or offshoot of a larger monastery) governed by a prior. (c) One of the three monastic vows. Shipley. (d) The written precept of a superior in a religious order or congregation to a subject. Canonical obedience. See under Canonical. — Passive obedience. See under Passive.
OBEDIENCIARY
O*be`di*en"ci*a*ry, n.
Defn: One yielding obedience. [Obs.] Foxe.
OBEDIENT O*be"di*ent, a. Etym: [OF. obedient, L. obediens, oboediens, -entis. p.pr. of obedire, oboedire, to obey. See Obey.]
Defn: Subject in will or act to authority; willing to obey; submissive to restraint, control, or command. And floating straight, obedient to the stream. Shak. The chief his orders gives; the obedient band, With due observance, wait the chief's command. Pope.
Syn.
— Dutiful; respectful; compliant; submissive.
OBEDIENTIAL
O*be`di*en"tial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. obédientiel.]
Defn: According to the rule of obedience. [R.]
An obediental subjection to the Lord of Nature. Sir M. Hale.