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
Be kind to the umpire and give him a chance to live to a happy old age; reward him with praise and encouraging glance when he does his devoir on his stage.
From Rippling Rhymes by Walt Mason
"Ceremony here, devoir there!" said she, smiling, "there was surely no need for a key to our door, Elrigmore—-" "Colin, Mistress Brown, plain Colin, if you please."
From John Splendid The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn by Neil Munro
I promise you I will not lay a straw in the path of Muriel’s happiness, and it shall not be my fault if Mr. Granville fails in a lover’s devoir.
From Vashti or, Until Death Us Do Part by Augusta J. Evans Wilson
However culpable my conduct, I will so far pay my devoir to virtue as to own the excellence and rectitude of her precepts, and lament my want of conformity to them.
From The Impending Crisis of the South How to Meet It by Hinton Rowan Helper
Some of the people went, and others came, with brief devoirs to Mrs. Maybough in the crepuscular corner where she sat.
From The Coast of Bohemia by William Dean Howells
Oh," declares Violet, when the two gentlemen return from their farewell devoirs, "how utterly lovely she is!
From Floyd Grandon's Honor by Amanda Minnie Douglas
"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
Spiteful glances they cast toward Gabrielle, many a time and oft, when my Lord Treherne so pointedly paid his respectful devoirs; and there was as much pride and haughtiness in Gabrielle's heart as in theirs.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, No. 12, May, 1851. by Various
“No; I was paying my last devoirs to madame.”
From Rambles in the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia with Notices of their History, Antiquities, and Present Condition. by Thomas Forester
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