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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

duty en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈd͡ʒuː.ti/ yod-coalescence
  • jōōtē yod-coalescence
  • /ˈdjuː.ti/ non-yod-coalescence
  • (UK) audio
  • dyōōtē non-yod-coalescence
  • /ˈdu.ti/ yod-dropping
  • dōōtē yod-dropping
  • /ˈdu.ɾi/ yod-dropping
  • (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe + Middle English -te. Equivalent to due + -ty.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) That which one is morally or legally obligated to do.
    • Captain Edward Carlisle[…]felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze,[…]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard. 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
    • Your Excellency, I trust you will not find it necessary to use that word again. Were I not completely aware of my duty to my family and to my country, I would not have come back tonight…or indeed ever again! 1953, Dalton Trumbo, Ian McLellan Hunter, John Dighton, Roman Holiday, spoken by Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn):
    • Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour. 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
    • 1805, 21 October, Horatio Nelson England expects that every man will do his duty.
    • Do your duty by me! -No, we don't have a duty to keep you abreast.
    • British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far. 2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
  2. (uncountable) The state of being at work and responsible for or doing a particular task.
    • I’m on duty from 6 pm to 6 am.
  3. (countable) An excise tax; especially, one on imports or exports.
    • customs duty
  4. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) One's due, something one is owed; a debt or fee.
    • Take that which is thy duty, and goo thy waye. 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew:
  5. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Respect; reverence; regard; act of respect; homage.
    • It [the letter] was written with a plain, unaffected, homely piety that I knew to be genuine, and ended with ‘my duty to my ever darling’—meaning myself. 1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC:
    • my duty to you 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
  6. (countable, uncountable) The efficiency of an engine in work done per unit of fuel; particularly, the number of pounds of water which a steam pumping engine can raise one foot by burning one bushel or hundredweight of coal.
  7. (countable, euphemistic, uncountable) The act of urination or defecation, especially for a dog.
    • The basic idea in housebreaking is not to wait until the puppy sins and then punish him; it is to call nature to your aid and thus make it easy for him to do his duty. 1927, Will Judy, “Housebreaking”, in Training the Dog, page 23:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
dutie alternative lexicographic
duties Number=Plur lexicographic

Antonyms

duty-free · right (antonym(s) of “that which one is obligated to do”)

Deriveds

active duty · sea duty · dutiable · stamp duty · yard duty · double duty · tonnage duty · duty of care · -i- · sea-duty · call of duty · duty officer · line of duty · nonduty · chimney-duty · on duty · heavy-duty · Delivered Duty Unpaid · tour of duty · dutiless · dutyman · Delivered Duty Paid · duty bound · duty man · legal duty · feu duty · do one's duty · duty-man · turn of duty · duty calls · filial duty · excise duty · estate duty · countervailing duty · off duty · dutybound · duty of support · duty-bound · duty to retreat · on-duty · jury duty · duteous · Revlon duty · duty ace · duty manager · regular-duty · shore duty · fuel duty · death duty · dutiful · dutied · report for duty · do duty · duty-free · feu-duty · succession duty · fiduciary duty · scab duty · duty card · export duty · home duty · point duty · customs duty · dutyless · duty solicitor · neglect duty · fatigue duty · unduty · duty cycle · import duty · static separation of duty · duty roster · superduty · in the line of duty · civic duty · moral duty · off-duty · extra-duty · light-duty

Descendants

duti

Hypernyms

levy · tax

Relateds

due

Synonyms

excise duty · obligation (that which one is obligated to do)

Translations (260)

eo tarifo (tax; tariff) · el υποχρέωση (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · nb plikt (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · hy պարտք (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · km ក្រឹត្យ (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ml തീരുവ (tax; tariff) · fa-ira تَکْلیف (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ru нало́г (tax; tariff) · ml ജോലിസമയം (period of time) · ko 세금 (tax; tariff) · be мы́та (tax; tariff) · sv tullavgift (tax; tariff) · fi työvuoro (period of time) · pt obrigação (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · el βάρδια (period of time) · tr çalışma süresi (period of time) · mk царина (tax; tariff) · it obbligo (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · es cometido (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ka ვახტი (period of time) · it imposta (tax; tariff) · ja 役目 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · cmn 關稅 /关税 (tax; tariff) · es deber (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · tr ithal vergisi (tax; tariff) · sw zamu (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · tg вазифа (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sk povinnosť (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · cs služba (period of time) · vi chức vụ (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · is skylda (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · fi velvollisuus (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · chk wis (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · it attività (period of time) · sk služba (period of time) · da tjeneste (period of time) · bg ми́то (tax; tariff) · sh слу̀жба (period of time) · ky алым (tax; tariff) · fi tullimaksu (tax; tariff) · mt dmir (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sh dežúrstvo (period of time) · ar وَاجِب (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · eo dogano (tax; tariff) · fa-ira وَظیفِه (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ar رَسْم (tax; tariff) · kk міндет (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · th กิจ (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · es arancel (tax; tariff) · th หน้าที่ (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · pdt Flicht (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uk ми́то (tax; tariff) · ang pleoh (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · mn хураамж (tax; tariff) · fr taxe (tax; tariff) · zza wezife (diq) (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sc òbrigu (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · mk дежурство (period of time) · vi hải quan (tax; tariff) · la dēbitum (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · hy պարտականություն (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · az gömrük (tax; tariff) · ga dualgas (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · nn toll (tax; tariff) · lt pareiga (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · it dazio (tax; tariff) · ta கடமை (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · he חוֹבָה (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sv tull (tax; tariff) · it tributo (tax; tariff) · be абавя́зак (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · be зме́на (period of time) · uk слу́жба (period of time) · mn суудал (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · az borc (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · mi tāke taonga (tax; tariff) · pl obowiązek (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · fr obligation (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ko 근무 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · cs clo (tax; tariff) · pl zmiana (period of time) · pt dever (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ja 勤め (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · la mūnus (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · vi nhiệm vụ (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · tg гумрук (tax; tariff) · hy մաքսատուրք (tax; tariff) · kk алым (tax; tariff) · ja 税金 (tax; tariff) · sh ду́жно̄ст (period of time) · sa कर्तव्य (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · it servizio (period of time) · rup dat (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sk zmena (period of time) · gd còir (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ml കടമ (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ka ვალდებულება (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · gl obrigación (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ru обя́занность (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ar وَظِيفَة (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · es obligación (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · kk парыз (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · de Arbeitszeit (period of time) · fr travail (period of time) · be по́шліна (tax; tariff) · fr devoir (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · cs povinnost (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · tr görev (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ro impozit (tax; tariff) · sh ду́жно̄ст (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · hu vám (tax; tariff) · ro sarcină (period of time) · fa-ira گُمْرُک (tax; tariff) · oc dever (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · tg боҷ (tax; tariff) · bg дежу́рство (period of time) · kk баж (tax; tariff) · mi tiuti (tax; tariff) · ko 업무 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ota منت (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · az rüsum (tax; tariff) · sv plikt (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ca servei (period of time) · pl cło (tax; tariff) · ja 関税 (tax; tariff) · ko 임무 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uz burch (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · la officium (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · vi thuế quan (tax; tariff) · lv pienākums (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · it tassa (tax; tariff) · it dovere (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · xcl տուրք (tax; tariff) · pt imposto (tax; tariff) · ru слу́жба (period of time) · tyv каайлы (tax; tariff) · es menester (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ro datorie (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · gd cìs (tax; tariff) · hi कर (tax; tariff) · ota اصر (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sq rangë (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uk змі́на (period of time) · ru по́шлина (tax; tariff) · la portōrium (tax; tariff) · de Einfuhrsteuer (tax; tariff) · nl van dienst (period of time) · el δασμός (tax; tariff) · tr vardiya (period of time) · da pligt (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uk вартува́ння (period of time) · tr gümrük (tax; tariff) · xcl հարկ (tax; tariff) · it balzello (tax; tariff) · de Pflicht (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ru дежу́рство (period of time) · lt muitas (tax; tariff) · cmn 稅 /税 (tax; tariff) · bg слу́жба (period of time) · uk збір (tax; tariff) · ca taxa (tax; tariff) · gl obriga (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · et tollimaks (tax; tariff) · be дзяжу́рства (period of time) · it gabella (tax; tariff) · nds Plicht (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sh slùžba (period of time) · et kohustus (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · pt plantão (period of time) · hy մաքս (tax; tariff) · xcl բաժ (tax; tariff) · uk борг (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · hi कृत्य (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · hu szolgálat (period of time) · vi chức trách (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · be збор (tax; tariff) · ota رسم (tax; tariff) · nb toll (tax; tariff) · la vectīgal (tax; tariff) · tg хироҷ (tax; tariff) · is kvöð (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ro taxă (tax; tariff) · hy հերթափոխ (period of time) · cmn 責任 /责任 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · pl dyżur (period of time) · la illātiō (tax; tariff) · bg смя́на (period of time) · vi nghĩa vụ (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sq taksë dogane (tax; tariff) · ca deure (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · mk должност (period of time) · sv tjänst (period of time) · ka მოვალეობა (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · mk должност (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ko 관세 (tax; tariff) · nl taks (tax; tariff) · ur واجِب (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · be слу́жба (period of time) · la iūs (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · eo devo (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · de Zoll (tax; tariff) · pl służba (period of time) · ota باج (tax; tariff) · mk служба (period of time) · sq detyrë (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uk обо́в'язок (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ru сме́на (period of time) · ko 의무 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · nl plicht (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · th งาน (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sh zadužénje (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · arz واجب (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uz poshlina (tax; tariff) · mk смена (period of time) · crh vazife (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sh dúžnōst (period of time) · sa धर्म (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ro datorie (tax; tariff) · sv skyldighet (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ja 服務 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uz vazifa (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · gd càin (tax; tariff) · ky милдет (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · cmn 義務 /义务 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · la pars (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · oc obligacion (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · de Schicht (period of time) · da told (tax; tariff) · sh задуже́ње (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ru долг (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · be доўг (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · el καθήκον (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · tr vazife (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · bg дълг (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · fa-ira باج (tax; tariff) · ka მორიგეობა (period of time) · ja 義務 (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sh дежу́рство (period of time) · crh bergi (tax; tariff) · cs směna (period of time) · vi trách nhiệm (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · pt taxa (tax; tariff) · ka ცვლა (period of time) · so waajib (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ca obligació (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sh dúžnōst (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · fo tollur (tax; tariff) · fr service (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · hi उत्तरदायित्व (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · az vəzifə (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · hu kötelesség (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · sc dovère (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ru сбор (tax; tariff) · sl dolžnost (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · uz boj (tax; tariff) · kk борыш (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · mi tiuti (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · la indictiō (tax; tariff) · hi कर्तव्य (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do) · ba бурыс (that which one is morally or legally obligated to do)