duty
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duty¹
- /ˈdjuː.ti/ UK
- /ˈd͡ʒuː.ti/ UK
- /ˈdu.ti/ US
- /ˈdu.ɾi/ US
Sounds like doody (with yod-dropping and t-flapping) · Rhymes with -uːti
Where it comes from
From Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe + Middle English -te. Equivalent to due + -ty.
noun duties · dutie
-
That which one is morally or legally obligated to do.
Do your duty by me! -No, we don't have a duty to keep you abreast.
Similar: obligation
- The state of being at work and responsible for or doing a particular task. I’m on duty from 6 pm to 6 am.
-
An excise tax; especially, one on imports or exports.
customs duty
Similar: excise duty
- One's due, something one is owed; a debt or fee. Take that which is thy duty, and goo thy waye.
- Respect; reverence; regard; act of respect; homage. my duty to you
- 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.
- 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.
Duty²
proper noun Dutys
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: obligation, responsibility, tariff, devoir, duty-bound, mandate, droit, liability, having, due, obligated, entitlement, responsible, obliged, obligatory, bound
Translations
Every language
noun that which one is morally or legally obligated to do
| Español | deber, obligación, cometido, menester |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 의무 uimu, 임무 immu, 근무 geunmu, 업무 eommu |
| 日本語 | 義務 gimu, 勤め tsutome, 役目 yakume, 服務 fukumu |
| 中文 | 責任 /责任 zérèn, 義務 /义务 yìwù |
| हिन्दी | कृत्य kŕtya, कर्तव्य kartavya, उत्तरदायित्व uttardāyitva |
| Kiswahili | zamu |
| Português | dever, obrigação |
| Français | devoir, obligation, service |
| Deutsch | Pflicht |
| Italiano | dovere, obbligo |
| Ελληνικά | καθήκον kathíkon, υποχρέωση ypochréosi |
| Română | datorie |
| Русский | долг dolg, обя́занность objázannostʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | nhiệm vụ, trách nhiệm, chức trách, nghĩa vụ, chức vụ |
| العربية | وَاجِب wājib, وَظِيفَة waẓīfa |
| עברית | חוֹבָה khova |
noun period of time
| Português | plantão |
|---|---|
| Français | travail |
| Deutsch | Schicht, Arbeitszeit |
| Italiano | servizio, attività |
| Ελληνικά | βάρδια várdia |
| Română | sarcină |
| Русский | дежу́рство dežúrstvo, сме́на sména, слу́жба slúžba |
noun tax; tariff
| Español | arancel |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 관세 gwanse, 세금 segeum |
| 日本語 | 関税 kanzei, 税金 zeikin |
| 中文 | 稅 /税 shuì, 關稅 /关税 guānshuì |
| हिन्दी | कर kar |
| Português | imposto, taxa |
| Français | taxe |
| Deutsch | Zoll, Einfuhrsteuer |
| Italiano | tassa, dazio, gabella, tributo, imposta, balzello |
| Ελληνικά | δασμός dasmós |
| Română | taxă, impozit, datorie |
| Русский | по́шлина póšlina, нало́г nalóg, сбор sbor |
| Tiếng Việt | thuế quan, hải quan |
| العربية | رَسْم rasm |
Talk about this word "duty." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/duty. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. duty. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/duty "duty." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/duty.Cite this
@misc{duty_2026,
title = {duty},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/duty},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
