- duty
- du|tyW1S1 [ˈdju:ti US ˈdu:-] n plural duties▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(something you must do)¦2¦(work)¦3 be on/off duty4¦(tax)¦5 do duty as something▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[Date: 1200-1300; : Anglo-French; Origin: dueté, from Old French deu; DUE1]1.) ¦(SOMETHING YOU MUST DO)¦ [U and C]something that you have to do because it is morally or legally right= ↑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)¦ [C usually plural, U]something you have to do as part of your jobduties▪ 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 dutyto 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 next week.▪ Mary goes on duty (=starts working) tonight at half past ten.▪ What time do you go off duty (=finish work) ?4.) ¦(TAX)¦ [U and C]a tax you pay on something you buyduty on▪ the duty on cigarettescustoms duty(=tax paid on goods coming into the country)5.) do duty as sthto be used as something= ↑serve as something▪ The living room also does duty as a home office.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬COLLOCATES for sense 1do your dutyit is somebody's duty to do somethinghave a duty to do somethinghave a duty to somebody/owe somebody a dutysense of dutymoral dutylegal dutyfail in your duty (=fail to do something that you should do for someone)be duty-bound to do something formal (=have a duty to do something)▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.