Dictionary.com
definitions

active duty

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR active duty ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Military.

the status of full-time service: on active duty.

RELATED CONTENT

How Do You Change Passive Voice Into Active Voice?In active voice, the subject performs the action of the verb. In passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb. If you feel like you need a little more than that, keep reading.
READ MORE
Electoral CollegeRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

ad, mobilization

Nearby words

  1. active,
  2. active anaphylaxis,
  3. active centre,
  4. active chronic hepatitis,
  5. active congestion,
  6. active galactic nucleus,
  7. active galaxy,
  8. active hyperemia,
  9. active immunity,
  10. active layer
Also called active service.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for active service

active service

esp US active duty

noun

military duty in an operational area
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with active service

active duty

Full-time service, as in Julian is 81, but he still comes to the office every day and is very much on active duty. This term comes from the military, where it stands in opposition to reserve, which refers to troops still in the military but not actively engaged. It is occasionally transferred to civilian matters as well. [First half of 1800s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.