devoir
Americannoun
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devoirs
plural
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an act of civility or respect.
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devoirs, respects or compliments.
to pay devoirs to rank and celebrity.
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something for which a person is responsible; duty.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of devoir
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English devoir, deveir, dever, from Old French devoir ( Anglo-French deveir, dever ), from Latin dēbēre “to owe”; cf. debt
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
From the polar heights of Great Neck came the Women's Club thereof, aesthetically accoutered to do their devoir.
From Time Magazine Archive
But so overcome was he of Love, who masters all, that he refused knighthood, abjured arms, shunned the tourney, and left undone all his devoir.
From Aucassin and Nicolette translated from the Old French by Francis William Bourdillon
St. George had forgotten her till a late hour, and, conspicuous as Marlboro's devoir had been, her own acceptance of it had been scarcely less so.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 81, July, 1864 by Various
He admired Miss Fisher's dash and courage and buoyant spirit of enjoyment, and, having a good horse, he pressed Madcap to his best devoir.
From The Storm Centre by Mary Noailles Murfree
And these are the terms proposed by a belted knight, companion of Bayard sans reproche; this your fufilment of your sworn devoir to women in distress?
From Romance of Roman Villas (The Renaissance) by Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Williams) Champney
She was the most silent woman in the world, but all people said that no queen had women and men servers that needed fewer words or so discreetly did their devoirs.
From Privy Seal His Last Venture by Ford Madox Ford
He was the spirit of fine courtesy, and would have blushed to fail in his devoirs to any lady; but, in the other scale, he was a man averse from amorous adventures.
From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 5 (of 25) by Robert Louis Stevenson
I wish you a good morning, and will pay my devoirs in a day or two to inquire after your health, and hear what has taken place.”
From Newton Forster The Merchant Service by Frederick Marryat
"It is to be feared, madam, that such rumors are well founded, but the party who form the forlorn hope have their devoirs also."
From The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. I (of II) by Charles James Lever
The Marshal blew a trumpet, and exclaimed, in a loud voice, "Preux chevaliers! faites vous devoirs!"
From The Funny Philosophers Wags and Sweethearts by George Yellott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
