cause vs oblige

cause is a noun but oblige is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
cause	Yes	No	Yes	No
oblige	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, oblige is a hyponym of cause; that is, oblige is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than cause:

Other hyponyms of cause include decide, persuade, bring, solicit, encourage, let, lead, inspire, instigate, prompt, suborn, compel, obligate.

cause (noun)	oblige (noun)
any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results
a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy
a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end
a justification for something existing or happening
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

cause (verb)	oblige (verb)
cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner	bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally	provide a service or favor for someone
	force somebody to do something