du ‧ ty S2 W1 /ˈdjuːti $ ˈduː-/ BrE AmE noun ( plural duties )
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Anglo-French ; Origin: dueté , from Old French deu ; ⇨ ↑ due 1 ]
1 . SOMETHING YOU MUST DO [uncountable and countable] something that you have to do because it is morally or legally right SYN obligation :
I promise I will do my duty.
We feel it is our duty to help her.
Local authorities have a duty to keep the streets clean.
You have a duty to your husband and to your children.
She has a strong sense of moral duty.
The unions have failed in their duty to female workers.
In the traditional Hindu family, the son is duty-bound to look after his mother.
2 . WORK [countable usually plural, uncountable] something you have to do as part of your job
duties
Martin’s duties included cleaning the cars.
She works for her father doing part-time secretarial duties.
He will soon be fit enough to carry out his duties (=do his job) .
He can only do light duties.
When Juliet reported for duty (=arrived and said she was ready to start work) she was sent to check on a new patient.
A teacher may be fired for neglect of duty (=failing to do their job properly) .
He did three tours of duty in Vietnam (=three periods working in a foreign country as a soldier, government officer etc) .
3 . be on/off duty to be working or not working at a particular time, especially when you are doing a job which people take turns to do, so that someone is always doing it:
He’s on night duty.
Mary goes on duty (=starts working) tonight at half past ten.
What time do you go off duty (=finish work) ?
4 . TAX [uncountable and countable] a tax you pay on something you buy
duty on
the duty on cigarettes
customs duty (=tax paid on goods coming into the country) ⇨ ↑ death duties , ↑ stamp duty
5 . do duty as something to be used as something SYN serve as something :
The living room also does duty as a home office.
⇨ ↑ double duty , ↑ heavy-duty , ⇨ jury duty at ↑ jury service , ⇨ on active duty at ↑ active service
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ verbs
▪ have a duty to do something
Parents have a duty to make sure that their children receive an education.
▪ do your duty
I felt I had done my duty by voting.
▪ fulfil your duty British English , fulfill your duty American English formal (=do what is needed)
The school has failed to fulfil its legal duty towards students.
▪ have/owe a duty to somebody
A tenant owes a duty to the landlord to keep the house in reasonable condition.
▪ fail in your duty (=not do something that you should do)
I would be failing in my duty if I didn't warn you of the dangers.
■ adjectives
▪ a moral duty
She felt it was her moral duty to treat everyone equally.
▪ a legal duty
Employers have a legal duty to ensure the safety of their workforce.
▪ a statutory duty (=required by law)
Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that parks are clean.
▪ a public duty (=relating to the people of a country)
The media has a public duty to report the truth.
▪ a civic duty (=done because you live in a place)
It is your civic duty to vote.
■ phrases
▪ a sense of duty
He was caring for his parents out of a sense of duty rather than love.
▪ be duty-bound to do something formal (=have a duty to do something)
Soldiers are here to do a job and are duty-bound to complete it.
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ carry out your duties ( also perform/discharge your duties formal ) (=do your job)
She has always carried out her duties efficiently.
▪ take up your duties (=start doing a new job)
Neale has agreed a three-year contract and takes up his duties on March 1.
▪ resume your duties (=start doing your job again)
She hopes to be well enough to resume her duties next week.
▪ report for duty (=arrive and be ready to start work)
You must report for duty at 8:30 tomorrow morning.
▪ neglect/shirk your duties (=not do your job properly)
No soldier can be allowed to neglect his duties.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + duty
▪ official duties
The new President will take up his official duties next month.
▪ presidential/royal/ministerial etc duties (=duties that go with being a president, member of a royal family, a minister etc)
The prince is now old enough to carry out royal duties.
▪ household/domestic duties (=jobs you have to do around the house)
My husband and I share most of the household duties.
▪ light duties (=not involving hard physical work)
He'd been wounded, sent home and put on light duties.
▪ guard duty (=job of guarding a place)
There were two soldiers on guard duty outside the embassy.
■ phrases
▪ neglect of duty (=failing to do your job properly)
Six police officers were fired for neglect of duty.
▪ a tour of duty (=period of working in another country as a soldier, government officer etc)
He became a General, and his tours of duty included Korea and Vietnam.
▪ beyond the call of duty (=more than you have to do as part of your job)
She's a doctor who has gone beyond the call of duty in her care for her patients.
▪ in the course of duty (=while doing your job, especially for your country)
Stewart received a medal for outstanding bravery in the course of duty.
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THESAURUS
▪ tax money that you must pay to the government, especially from the money you earn, or as an additional payment when you buy something:
How much income tax do you pay each month?
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The Republicans promised to reduce taxes before the last election.
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Consumers are angry that the tax on petrol has gone up yet again.
▪ duty a tax you pay on something you buy:
The budget also sharply raised the duty on alcohol and tobacco.
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customs duty (=tax you pay on goods you buy and bring into the country)
▪ tariff a tax on goods coming into a country or going out of a country, especially to protect a country’s industry from cheap goods from other countries:
the import tariffs on hi-tech equipment
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The government’s tariff and trade policies came under fierce attack.
▪ levy an extra amount of money that you have to pay the government, usually as a tax, often in order to encourage people not to use or do something:
A new levy on fuel inefficient vehicles has been proposed.
▪ surcharge an amount of money that you have to pay in addition to the agreed or stated price of something:
British Airways will increase its fuel surcharge on all airline tickets from June 3.
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When you get cash at some machines, you have to pay an ATM surcharge.