devoir
Americannoun
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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
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.
Quand le burkini est apparu, j’étais heureuse pour ma sœur, qui était en vacances et pouvait enfin jouer sur la plage avec ses enfants plutôt que de devoir rester à l’ombre.
From New York Times • Sep. 2, 2016
From the polar heights of Great Neck came the Women's Club thereof, aesthetically accoutered to do their devoir.
From Time Magazine Archive
He gave it, as has been said, mechanical perfection,— "Et r�duisit la Muse aux r�gles du devoir."
From A History of Literary Criticism in the Renaissance With special reference to the influence of Italy in the formation and development of modern classicism by Spingarn, Joel Elias
I woot wel ther is degree above degree, as reson is; and skile it is that men do hir devoir ther-as is due; but certes, extorciouns and despit of youre underlinges is dampnable.”
From Chaucer and His Times by Hadow, Grace E.
Heureux qui se fait une loi De son devoir qu'il aime, et qu'il veut toujours suivre.
From Fletcher of Madeley by Macdonald, Frederic W.
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.
