beholden
Owing somebody a favor, and not happy about the strings that come with it.
Updated September 21, 2026
beholden pronunciation
/bih-HOHL-dun/
Meaning
Means you are under obligation to somebody who helped you out. In redneck and Appalachian talk, that debt is often a favor more than a loan. Plenty of folks would rather go without than be beholden, because the helper may expect payback later or keep reminding you who saved your hide.
How folks use it
- “I ain't beholden to nobody for a ride; I'll walk if I have to.”
- “She took the casserole but hated feeling beholden to her sister-in-law.”
Origin and etymology
Old English stock. Beholden started as an old past participle of behold, in the sense of being held or bound, and shows up by the 1300s meaning indebted. Standard English still knows the word, but Dictionary of American Regional English marks it as chiefly Southern and South Midland. Country talk kept it alive when a lot of other places let it go dusty.
Frequently asked questions
Is beholden only about money?
No. Around here it is often about favors. Somebody fixed your truck or watched your kids, and now you feel like you owe them.