duty

Plural: duties

Noun

• A moral or legal obligation; a task required to be done.
• the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force; ; - John D.Rockefeller Jr
  • "we must instill a sense of duty in our children"
  • "every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty"
• work that you are obliged to perform for moral or legal reasons
• a government tax on imports or exports
• That which one is morally or legally obligated to do.
• The state of being at work and responsible for or doing a particular task.
• A tax placed on imports or exports; a tariff.
• One's due, something one is owed; a debt or fee.
• Respect; reverence; regard; act of respect; homage.
• 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.

Examples

• customs duty; excise duty
• Do your duty by me! -No, we don't have a duty to keep you abreast.
• It was his duty as a Scrabble player to maximize his score, even if it meant blocking an opponent.
• I’m on duty from 6 pm to 6 am.

Synonyms

obligation, responsibility, tariff

Antonyms

duty-free, right

Related Words

due