obey
UK[əʊˈbeɪ]US[oʊˈbeɪ]
v
to do what you are told or expected to do according to someone in authority or a rule or law
v
to behave in the expected way in response to a scientific law or principle
Etymology
The word "obey" entered English in the late 13th century from Anglo-Norman French obeir, meaning "to listen to, pay attention to, obey." This French term descended from Latin oboedire, a compound of ob- (meaning "to, toward") and audire (meaning "to hear, listen"). The literal sense was "to listen to, to give ear to," which naturally evolved into the concept of "to follow orders, to comply." The semantic journey is clear: from the physical act of listening attentively, the meaning shifted to the metaphorical act of heeding and submitting to authority. The spelling was simplified from the Latin-influenced "obey" to the modern "obey" by the 17th century.
Analysis
The modern English word "obey" is a simplex form derived from the Anglo-Norman French "obeir". It cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes within modern English spelling without resorting to etymological roots not present in its current form.
Examples
Soldiers are trained to obey orders without question.
All drivers must obey the speed limits on this road.
The material obeys the laws of thermodynamics.