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duty definition

duty (do̵̅o̅t′ē, dyo̵̅o̅t′ē)

noun pl. duties -·ties

  1. the obedience or respect that one should show toward one's parents, older people, etc.
  2. conduct based on moral or legal obligation, or a sense of propriety one's duty to vote
  3. any action, task, etc. required by or relating to one's occupation or position the duties of a secretary
  4. a sense or feeling of obligation duty calls
  5. service, esp. military service overseas duty
  6. a payment due to the government, esp. a tax imposed on imports, exports, or manufactured goods
  7. Brit. the performance of a machine as measured by the output of work per unit of fuel
  8. the amount of work that a machine is meant to do; rated efficiency under specified conditions
  9. ☆ Agric. the amount of water needed for irrigation per acre per crop
    also duty of water

Etymology: ME duete < Anglo-Fr dueté, what is due (owing): see due & -ty

duty Idioms

do duty for

to substitute for; serve as

on (or off) duty

at (or temporarily relieved from) one's work, duty, etc.

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business duty definition - business

finance duty definition - finance

idioms duty idiom

law duty definition - legal

duty Synonyms


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

duty Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • confidentiality: The overriding duty of confidentiality is covered elsewhere in the Code, so this provision is simply a restatement.

Converse of object

  • owe: The tribunal began by setting out the duty owed by an expert witness.

Adjective modifier

  • excise: TPD Tobacco Products Duty - an excise duty chargeable on tobacco products.

Modifies a noun

  • holder: Are Is there a need for better liaison between the site occupier and duty holders who deliver or pick up goods?

Noun used with modifier

  • excise: NHS vehicles that are exempt from vehicle excise duty.
duty usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

duty quotes

The scouts'motto is founded on my initials, it is:, which means, you are always to be in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your.

-Baden-Powell, Robert Stephenson Smyth, 1st Baron

The function of the artist is to disturb. His duty is to arousethesleeper, toshakethe complacent pillars ofthe world.He reminds the world of its dark ancestry, and shows the world its present, and points the way to its new birth.He isat oncetheproduct and thepreceptorof his time.

-Bethune, Norman

Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

-Bible (Old Testament)

duty quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"duty." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/duty>

APA Style

duty. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/duty

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