The term 'beholden (to)' is used to describe a situation in which someone is obligated or INDEBTED to another person. The crossword solutions for this term are 'OBLIGED' (7 letters), 'INDEBTED' (8 letters), and 'indebt' (6 letters). All three of these words refer to the same concept, that of being beholden to someone else. In this context, it means that one person has an obligation to another person, either financially or emotionally.