duty

[ doo-tee, dyoo- ]

noun

, plural du·ties.

1. something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation.
2. the binding or obligatory force of something that is morally or legally right; moral or legal obligation.
3. an action or task required by a person's position or occupation; function:

   the duties of a clergyman.

   Synonyms: role, place, concern

4. the respectful and obedient conduct due a parent, superior, elder, etc.

   Synonyms: tithe, toll, tariff, levy, impost, assessment, task, job, chore, assignment, devoir, charge, burden, obligation, responsibility, commitment

5. an act or expression of respect.
6. a task or chore that a person is expected to perform:

   It's your duty to do the dishes.

7. Military.
   1. an assigned task, occupation, or place of service:

      He was on radar duty for two years.

   2. the military service required of a citizen by a country:

      After graduation, he began his duty.

8. Commerce. a specific or ad valorem tax imposed by law on the import or export of goods.
9. a payment, service, etc., imposed and enforceable by law or custom.
10. Chiefly British. tax:

    income duty.

11. Machinery.
    1. the amount of work done by an engine per unit amount of fuel consumed.
    2. the measure of effectiveness of any machine.
12. Agriculture. the amount of water necessary to provide for the crop in a given area.
13. Baby Talk. bowel movement.

duty

/ ˈdjuːtɪ /

noun

1. a task or action that a person is bound to perform for moral or legal reasons
2. respect or obedience due to a superior, older persons, etc

   filial duty

3. the force that binds one morally or legally to one's obligations
4. a government tax, esp on imports
5. 1. the quantity or intensity of work for which a machine is designed
   2. a measure of the efficiency of a machine
6. the quantity of water necessary to irrigate an area of land to grow a particular crop
7. 1. a job or service allocated
   2. ( as modifier )

      duty rota

8. do duty for
   do duty for to act as a substitute for
9. off duty
   off duty not at work
10. on duty
    on duty at work

duty

1. A tax charged by a government, especially on an import.

Word History and Origins

Origin of duty¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English du(e)te, from Anglo-French duete; due, -ty ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of duty¹

C13: from Anglo-French dueté, from Old French deu due

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. do duty, to serve the same function; substitute for:

   bookcases that do duty as room dividers.

2. off duty, not at one's post or work; at liberty:

   They spent their days off duty in hiking and fishing.

3. on duty, at one's post or work; occupied; engaged:

   He was suspended from the force for being drunk while on duty.

More idioms and phrases containing duty

In addition to the idiom beginning with duty , also see above and beyond (the call of duty) ; active duty do one's duty ; double duty ; off duty ; on duty .

Synonym Study

Duty, obligation refer to what one feels bound to do. Duty is what one performs, or avoids doing, in fulfillment of the permanent dictates of conscience, piety, right, or law: duty to one's country; one's duty to tell the truth, to raise children properly. An obligation is what one is bound to do to fulfill the dictates of usage, custom, or propriety, and to carry out a particular, specific, and often personal promise or agreement: financial obligations.

Example Sentences

With more than 30 million people in the United States at least partially vaccinated against covid-19, you may wonder whether the shot has done its duty, arming your immune system to fight off infection.

From Washington Post

On the first Tuesday in December, the texts to Teen Line stacked up faster than the six volunteers on duty could answer them.

From Washington Post

Extra duty provisions were tagged whenever the contract acknowledged the existence of such an arrangement.

From ProPublica

The former chief, Philip Zacche, pleaded guilty to taking money for extra duty work he didn’t do.

From ProPublica

The story you tell is of deferring to others, out of an unspoken sense of duty — that this is how marriage or family work so you’re going to do your part.

From Washington Post

In his view, a writer has only one duty: to be present in his books.

From The Daily Beast

Our duty is to make sure that they realize that the Prophet is not avenged.

From The Daily Beast

A passing off-duty school safety officer named Fred Lucas said that he had been told the man was a drug dealer.

From The Daily Beast

The NOPD fired Knight in 1973 for stealing lumber from a construction site as an off-duty cop.

From The Daily Beast

They selected an “easy mark” who turned out to be an off-duty NYC Housing Authority cop named James Carragher.

From The Daily Beast

And as she hesitated between obedience to one and duty toward the other, her life, her love and future was in the balance.

From Project Gutenberg

Each did his duty, or was adjured to do it, in the "state of life to which it had pleased God to call him."

From Project Gutenberg

The dead bodies of the two men were guarded until next day, for justice to do its duty.

From Project Gutenberg

That alone is being sent to your Majesty as a report, in order to inform you of everything, as is my duty.

From Project Gutenberg

His duty it was to stand at the head of the scalding trough, watch in hand, to "time" the length of the scald, crying "Hog in!"

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• burden
• business
• charge
• chore
• commission
• commitment
• contract
• function
• job
• need
• obligation
• office
• role
• service
• task
• work