I. ˈd(y)üd.ē, -ütē, -i noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English duete, dewte, from Anglo-French dueté, duité, from Old French deu due + -té -ty — more at due
1.
a. : conduct due parents and superiors : respectful or obedient behavior : respect
every prince that has parents owes them as much filial duty and obedience — John Locke
b. : conduct or activities showing respect : expression of respect
addressed the king with humble duty
2.
a. : obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions enjoined by order or usage according to rank, occupation, or profession
duties that he knew he would have to do — Joseph Conrad
b. : service, ministration, or performance enjoined on a clergyman
c. : active military or naval service : assigned participation in activity : service under orders
d. : responsibility for maintaining continued operation or status : supervision of a post, ship, or installation in the interest of normal operation — used with the
the commander had the duty on Monday
3.
a. : behavior required by moral obligation, demanded by custom, or enjoined by feelings of rightness or fitness — compare categorical imperative
b. : the force of moral obligation : feeling for or sense of such obligation
the call of duty
c. : the conduct or acts of a person motivated by pure goodwill : conduct that produces the greatest good — used in axiological philosophy
4.
a. : a payment or service imposed by law or custom ; especially : a charge payable to a government
b. : a sum paid as a tax on import, export, manufacture, or consumption of goods
no tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state — U.S. Constitution
5.
a. : work done by a particular machine under certain conditions (as of time or energy)
the duty of a stamp may be stated as the number of tons of ore crushed to a given degree of fineness in a given time
b. : a measure of the overall efficiency (as of a machine, engine, pump, power plant, but especially of a water pump) expressed in terms of the amount of work delivered for a certain quantity of input energy
6. also duty of water : the quantity of irrigation water required to satisfy the requirements of the area of a particular crop expressed in acre-inches or acre-feet per acre or as acres per second per foot of water
7.
a. : service required (as of a machine) under specified conditions of load and rest
intermittent duty
continuous duty
b. : use , service , function
if one chain, one rope, or one bolt was amply strong enough for a particular duty — O.S.Nock
especially : service as a replacement or substitute
a big book doing duty as a doorstop
making the word do duty for the thing — Edward Sapir
Synonyms: see function , obligation , task
•
- in line of duty
- off duty
- on duty
II. adjective
1. : done as a duty
paying duty calls on his elderly relatives
2. : being on duty : having the responsibility for certain assigned tasks or functions
he was duty officer the night of the raid
a duty doctor to take care of emergencies