duty

 
Pronunciation: /ˈdjuːti/

noun (plural duties)

  • 1a moral or legal obligation; a responsibility: it’s my duty to uphold the law she was determined to do her duty as a citizen [mass noun]: a strong sense of duty
  • [as modifier] (of a visit or other undertaking) done from a sense of moral obligation rather than for pleasure: a fifteen-minute duty visit
  • 2 (often duties) a task or action that one is required to perform as part of one’s job: the queen’s official duties your duties will include operating the switchboard [mass noun]: Juliet reported for duty
  • [mass noun] military service: combat duty in the army
  • [as modifier] (of a person) engaged in their regular work: a duty nurse
  • [mass noun] (also duties) performance of prescribed church services by a priest or minister: he was willing to take Sunday duties
  • 3a payment levied on the import, export, manufacture, or sale of goods: a 6 per cent duty on imports [mass noun]: goods subject to excise duty
  • British a payment levied on the transfer of property, for licences, and for the legal recognition of documents.
  • 4 technical the measure of an engine’s effectiveness in units of work done per unit of fuel.

Phrases

do duty as (or for)

serve or act as a substitute for something else: the rusting shack which did duty as the bridge

on (or off) duty

engaged (or not engaged) in one’s regular work: the doorman had gone off duty and the lobby was unattended

Origin:

late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French duete, from Old French deu (see due)