duty

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duty[1,noun] duty[2,adjective] death duty duty-free heavy-duty line of duty sea duty stamp tax succession duty temporary duty

Main Entry: ¹du·ty
Pronunciation: 'dü-tE also 'dyü-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural duties
Etymology: Middle English duete, from Anglo-French deueté, dueté, from deu due
1 : conduct due to parents and superiors : RESPECT
2 a : obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position (as in life or in a group) b (1) : assigned service or business (2) : active military service (3) : a period of being on duty
3 a : a moral or legal obligation b : the force of moral obligation
4 : TAX; especially : a tax on imports
5 a : WORK 1a b (1) : the service required (as of an electric machine) under specified conditions (2) : functional application : USE <got double duty out of the trip> (3) : use as a substitute <making the word do duty for the thing -- Edward Sapir>
synonym see FUNCTION, TASK
- off duty : free from assignment or responsibility
- on duty : engaged in or responsible for an assigned task or duty